Re: why pseudowork (NOT)

[John Mallinckrodt <ajmallinckro@CSUPOMONA.EDU>]

> Here is a possible mechanism.  Suppose that the 2 kg block (moving
> initially to the right) has a little spring attached, facing the 1 kg
> block . The spring is compressed by a correct amount. The trigger which
> keeps the spring compressed is release during the collision. Its elastic
> energy is used to stop the 2 kg block and to push the 1 kg block to the
> right at v=1 m/s. Or it can be a source of chemical energy , such as
> nitroglycerine, in right amount.

Ludwik and Rick,

You still seem to be misreading the question and/or getting hung up in
some way. There is absolutely no need to invoke exotic mechanisms in order
to arrange for simple everyday inelastic collisions like the one I
described.  They happen all the time and they happen all by themselves.
What takes a *little* more ingenuity is arranging elastic, superelastic
(delta K >0), and totally inelastic collisions.

John Mallinckrodt      mailto:ajm@csupomona.edu
Cal Poly Pomona          http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm