Question

When a moving object collides with an object that isn't moving, what happens to the kinetic energy of each object?

Answer 1

The kinetic energy of the object being hit will increase and the the potential energy will decrease. The kinetic energy of the object that collided with the other said object will increase and there will be not potential energy. This is my personal knowledge on the matter.

Although the internet states otherwise:

In the extreme case, multiple objects collide, stick together, and remain motionless after the collision. Since the objects are all motionless after the collision, the final kinetic energy is also zero; the loss of kinetic energy is a maximum.

Answer 2

Answer:

Since the objects are all motionless after the collision, the final kinetic energy is also zero; the loss of kinetic energy is a maximum. Such a collision is said to be perfectly inelastic.

Explanation: