How is momentum conserved if you lose kinetic energy?

[rude man]

I vote for post 2. You will never understand until you understand post 2.
2 masses collide: one might go backwards!

 

[A.T.]

I vote for post 2. You will never understand until you understand post 2.
2 masses collide: one might go backwards!

Even if nothing goes backwards, an inelastic collision still conserves only momentum, not kinetic energy. See example in port #5.

 

[gmax137]

Even if nothing goes backwards, an inelastic collision still conserves only momentum, not kinetic energy. See example in port #5.

Yes, but the gist of the OP seemed to be, how can energy (a function of v) change, without momentum changing (since it is also a function of v). At least that's how i read it.

 

[rude man]

Even if nothing goes backwards, an inelastic collision still conserves only momentum, not kinetic energy. See example in port #5.

Make that "... even go backwards!"