Discuss qualitatively the motion of the atoms in a block of steel that falls onto another steel block. Why and how do large-scale vibrations damp out?

The atoms can easily move from one position to another position which is referred to as the translational motion of the atoms.

The law of vibration illustrates that every single particle in this universe is in a constant movement state.

The motion of the atoms can be predicted by the translational motion and the law of vibrations gives the reason for the damping out of the vibrations.

As a steel block is treated as a rigid object, hence it is a multiparticle system. However, while collision, the particles mainly acquire kinetic energy and transfer the energy into a waveform that eventually creates vibration.

As materials have a type of damping effect, hence, the kinetic energy gets transformed into heat for the friction that exists between the materials. However, due to the loss of energy, the amplitude of the wave decreases with time. Hence, the property of the materials for which the oscillations are damped due to the inner friction is mainly called hysteretic damping.

Hysteretic damping is mainly used for dissipating energy. A small amount of energy may be dissipated in radiation and sound form.

Thus, when the atoms in the steel block fall into another steel block, then the particles mainly behave in the waveform. The large-scale vibrations damp out through the inner friction which mainly translates into heat. A small amount of dissipation may turn into radiation and sound.