Collision

Solve 1D two-body collisions: elastic final speeds, perfectly inelastic stick-together speed, or partial restitution with e. Momentum checks and kinetic-energy loss included. Free online calculator with formulas and step-by-step solutions.

Key formula

elastic v1,v2; inelastic v=(m1u1+m2u2)/(m1+m2); 0<=e<=1

About this tool

A 1D collision calculator finds final speeds after two masses interact along a line. Elastic mode conserves kinetic energy; perfectly inelastic mode sticks the masses together; partial restitution uses a coefficient e between 0 and 1.

How to use this calculator

  1. Choose the variable you want to solve for and confirm which values are already known.
  2. Enter inputs in consistent units before calculating so the formula is applied correctly.
  3. Check whether the result is physically reasonable by comparing it with the size of the inputs.
  4. Use the step-by-step breakdown to see how the equation was rearranged and evaluated.

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