Which of the following is the characteristic of an inelastic collision? a. The total mass is not conservedb. The total energy is not conservedc. The momentum is not conservedd. the kinetic energy is not conservede. Newtons laws do not apply

The kinetic energy is not conserved

Explanation:

The difference between an elastic and an inelastic collision is the following:

- In an elastic collision, both the total momentum and the total kinetic energy of the system are conserved

- In an inelastic collision, the total momentum of the system is conserved, while the total kinetic energy is not. The reason for that is that during the collisions between the objects involved in the system, part of the total kinetic energy is dissipated (mainly as thermal energy, heat) due to frictional forces acting between the objects/between the objects and the surfaces.

Therefore, the correct answer is

The kinetic energy is not conserved