Physics: loss of kinetic energy, inelastic collision?

B

bandwagonwheel

New member
A 2 kg ball moving east with a speed of 3 m/s collides and sticks to another ball of mass 3 kg moving west with a speed of 4 m/s. I already found the velocity of the combined masses just after the collision and it is 1.2 m/s.

What is the loss in kinetic energy of the 2 masses due to the collision?

The answer was given as 32.6 J, I came up with 29.4 (final KE of 3.6 J, initial KE of 33 J). I need to know what I did wrong, or if the given answer is wrong.
 
Maybe I am in your class...I have this same problem as homework...and I also got 29.4, using the change in KE formula...maybe the answer is wrong...
 
Maybe I am in your class...I have this same problem as homework...and I also got 29.4, using the change in KE formula...maybe the answer is wrong...
 
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