Two particles colliding and moving off as one particle

Section 1: Understanding Collisions

Comprehend that a collision involves two or more objects forcefully striking one another.
Learn about collisions of particles, where particles can be objects of any size as long as they act as single units.
Get familiar with the idea of two colliding particles moving off as one particle.

Section 2: Principles of Momentum

Know that the total momentum before a collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision as per the principle of conservation of momentum.
Understand that momentum is calculated as the product of an object’s mass and velocity.
Apply this principle to analyse the motion of two particles after collision.

Section 3: Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

Realise that collisions are categorised as elastic or inelastic depending on whether kinetic energy is conserved or not.
Recognise that in an energy-conserving elastic collision, both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.
Understand that in an inelastic collision, momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not necessarily conserved.
Acknowledge that when two particles move off as one after impact, the collision is perfectly inelastic.

Section 4: Collisions Problem-Solving

Practice drawing diagrams representing the collision scenario. Include the velocity and direction of each particle before and after the collision.
Utilise the conservation of momentum to solve collision problems: Initial Momentum = Final Momentum
Calculate the combined speed of the particles after collision in inelastic collisions using the momentum principle.
Practice plenty of past questions to familiarise yourself with the demand of problem-solving for such topics.
Make use of diagrams for clarity, comprehension and problem-solving.