Have you ever marveled at the mesmerizing dance of Newton's cradle, where balls collide and seem to defy gravity, or wondered what happens when objects collide at different speeds? Today, we're diving into the physics of collisions, unraveling the mysteries behind the conservation of momentum and energy, and exploring the fascinating world of elastic and inelastic collisions.
In the annals of military history, a curious event is preserved in the American Museum of Natural History: two Civil War bullets, perfectly aligned, that met nose to nose. This seemingly impossible occurrence has intrigued Destin Sandlin, creator of the popular YouTube channel "Smarter Every Day." Sandlin's quest to understand and replicate this phenomenon led him on a journey through ballistics, probability, and engineering.