Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The term 'inelastic collision' refers to a situation in molecular interactions where kinetic energy is not conserved. In such collisions, some of the kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy, such as thermal energy or potential energy, resulting in a loss of the total kinetic energy of the system. This is significant in the study of molecular dynamics and reactions, as it highlights how energy can be dissipated during interactions between molecules.

In contrast, an elastic collision would be characterized by the conservation of kinetic energy, which doesn’t apply here. Also, a temporary exchange of energy without loss or a collision involving no energy transfer does not fit the definition of an inelastic collision because these scenarios either conserve energy or do not involve the concept of energy transformation in the same way. Understanding the nature of inelastic collisions is crucial for analyzing molecular behavior and reactions in chemistry.