Lesson 6.2.1

6.2.1 Elastic and inelastic collisions and kinetic energy Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Physics, Unit 6

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 6.2.1, Elastic and inelastic collisions and kinetic energy: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Physics (9PH0), Unit 6: Further Mechanics, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What happens to total kinetic energy during a perfectly elastic collision?

    • It increases twofold
    • It is conserved
    • It is halved
    • It becomes zero

  2. What happens to total kinetic energy during an inelastic collision?

    • It increases
    • It stays constant
    • It decreases
    • It becomes zero

  3. Kinetic energy of a non-relativistic particle can be written in terms of its momentum p and mass m as which expression?

    • E_k = p^2 / (2m)
    • E_k = p / (2m)
    • E_k = p^2 / m
    • E_k = 2m / p^2

  4. What characterises a perfectly inelastic collision between two objects?

    • They stick together
    • They bounce elastically
    • Kinetic energy increases
    • Momentum is lost

  5. An object of mass 0.20 kg has kinetic energy 4.0 J. What is its momentum?

    • 0.80 kg m s^-1
    • 2.0 kg m s^-1
    • 1.3 kg m s^-1
    • 4.0 kg m s^-1

  6. Two 0.50 kg trolleys move towards each other at 2.0 m s^-1 and stick together after a head-on collision. How much kinetic energy is lost?

    • 1.0 J
    • 4.0 J
    • 0 J
    • 2.0 J

  7. A 1.0 kg trolley moving at 4.0 m s^-1 hits an identical trolley at rest in an elastic head-on collision. What is the velocity of the second trolley afterwards?

    • 8.0 m s^-1
    • 4.0 m s^-1
    • 0 m s^-1
    • 2.0 m s^-1

  8. A 2.0 kg trolley moving at 3.0 m s^-1 collides with a 1.0 kg trolley at rest and they stick together. How much kinetic energy is lost?

    • 9.0 J
    • 1.5 J
    • 6.0 J
    • 3.0 J

  9. In the previous collision, what percentage of the initial kinetic energy is lost?

    • 50 per cent
    • 25 per cent
    • 33 per cent
    • 67 per cent

  10. A 0.60 kg ball moving at 5.0 m s^-1 rebounds from a smooth wall at 5.0 m s^-1 in the opposite direction, with no energy lost. What is its change in kinetic energy?

    • 15 J
    • 0 J
    • 7.5 J
    • -7.5 J

  11. Two objects have equal momentum magnitudes of 8.0 kg m s^-1. One has mass 2.0 kg and the other has mass 4.0 kg. What is the ratio of kinetic energy of the 2.0 kg object to that of the 4.0 kg object?

    • 1:2
    • 2:1
    • 4:1
    • 1:4

  12. A 1.5 kg object has momentum 6.0 kg m s^-1. What is its kinetic energy?

    • 9.0 J
    • 6.0 J
    • 12 J
    • 24 J

  13. A 0.25 kg ball at 4.0 m s⁻¹ elastically hits a stationary 0.75 kg ball. Find its final velocity.

    • 4.0 m s⁻¹
    • 2.0 m s⁻¹
    • 3.0 m s⁻¹
    • 1.0 m s⁻¹

  14. In the collision of a 0.25 kg ball at 4.0 m s^-1 with a stationary 0.75 kg ball, what fraction of the initial kinetic energy is transferred to the 0.75 kg ball?

    • 50 per cent
    • 25 per cent
    • 100 per cent
    • 75 per cent

  15. A 0.40 kg trolley moving at 6.0 m s^-1 sticks to a stationary 0.20 kg trolley. How much kinetic energy is lost?

    • 2.4 J
    • 1.2 J
    • 7.2 J
    • 4.8 J

  16. Which quantity is conserved in elastic collisions but NOT in inelastic collisions?

    • Kinetic energy
    • Total force
    • Total mass
    • Total momentum

  17. Into which energy store is lost kinetic energy converted during an inelastic collision?

    • Nuclear energy
    • Gravitational potential energy
    • Chemical energy
    • Thermal energy

  18. A 2.0 kg object moves at 5.0 m s^-1 and collides with a 3.0 kg object at rest. They stick together. What is the kinetic energy of the combined object afterwards?

    • 25 J
    • 5 J
    • 10 J
    • 15 J

  19. An object has kinetic energy 8.0 J and momentum 4.0 kg m s^-1. What is its mass?

    • 0.50 kg
    • 2.0 kg
    • 1.0 kg
    • 4.0 kg

  20. Two identical 1.0 kg trolleys move towards each other at 3.0 m s^-1 and stick together. How much kinetic energy is lost?

    • 4.5 J
    • 18 J
    • 9.0 J
    • 0 J

All Pearson Edexcel Physics quizzes