epäelastisen

Epäelastinen is a Finnish word that translates to "inelastic" in English. It is primarily used in physics to describe a type of collision or process where kinetic energy is not conserved. In an epäelastinen collision, some of the initial kinetic energy is converted into other forms of energy, such as heat, sound, or deformation of the colliding objects.

For example, if two objects collide and stick together, the collision is typically epäelastinen. The total momentum of the system is conserved in an epäelastinen collision, as it is in all collisions according to the law of conservation of momentum. However, the kinetic energy before the collision is greater than the kinetic energy after the collision. The degree of inelasticity can vary; a perfectly epäelastinen collision is one where the objects stick together and move as a single unit after impact, resulting in the maximum possible loss of kinetic energy.

The concept of epäelastinen is fundamental in understanding various physical phenomena, from car crashes to the behavior of materials under stress. It is the opposite of an elastinen process, where kinetic energy is conserved.