What is the relationship between kinetic energy and the conservation of momentum in an inelastic collision?

In an inelastic collision, kinetic energy is not conserved because some of it is transformed into other forms of energy, such as heat or sound. However, momentum is always conserved in any type of collision, including inelastic collisions. This means that the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision, even if kinetic energy is not conserved.