A skater is using very low friction rollerblades. A friend throws a Frisbee at her, on the straight line along which she is coasting. Describe each of the following events as an elastic, an inelastic, or a perfectly inelastic collision between the skater and the Frisbee.

Question:

(a) She catches the Frisbee and holds it.

Answer:

The correct option is;

A perfectly inelastic collision

Explanation:

A perfectly inelastic collision is one in which there is maximum amount of loss of kinetic energy in the system. In a perfectly inelastic collision, the colliding members lose their initial speed and they stick together resulting in a loss of kinetic energy.

Since she catches and holds on to the Frisbee, the kinetic energy of the Frisbee is lost as she holds on to it so as to combine her mass to that of the Frisbee.