Momentum Flashcards
What is momentum?
Momentum is a property that all moving objects have, defined as the product of an object’s mass and velocity.
Momentum = Mass × Velocity
How is momentum calculated?
Momentum (p) is calculated using the formula: p = m × v, where m is mass and v is velocity.
Momentum units are kg m/s
What happens to momentum if the mass or velocity increases?
The greater the mass of an object or the greater the velocity, the more momentum the object has.
Is momentum a scalar or vector quantity?
Momentum is a vector quantity, meaning it has both size and direction.
Calculate the momentum of a 50 kg cheetah running at 60 m/s.
The momentum is 3000 kg m/s.
Calculation: p = m × v = 50 × 60
If a boy has a mass of 30 kg and a momentum of 75 kg m/s, what is his velocity?
His velocity is 2.5 m/s.
Calculation: v = p ÷ m = 75 ÷ 30
What is the principle of conservation of momentum?
In a closed system, the total momentum before an event is equal to the total momentum after the event.
What occurs in a closed system regarding momentum?
No external forces act, and momentum is conserved.
Describe a scenario demonstrating conservation of momentum using snooker balls.
In snooker, balls of the same size and mass collide, changing each ball’s momentum while keeping the overall momentum constant.
In a collision, what is the momentum of a stationary object?
The momentum of a stationary object is zero.
What is the total momentum before a collision of a moving white ball and a stationary red ball?
The total momentum is equal to the momentum of the moving white ball, p = m × v.
Calculate the total momentum of a 1500 kg car traveling at 25 m/s before crashing into a parked car.
The total momentum is 37500 kg m/s.
Calculation: p = m × v = 1500 × 25
If a 1500 kg car crashes into a 1000 kg parked car and they lock together, what is their combined mass?
The combined mass of the cars is 2500 kg.
How do you find the velocity of two cars that have locked together after a collision?
Use the formula v = p ÷ M, where p is total momentum and M is the combined mass.
Calculate the velocity of two locked cars with a total momentum of 37500 kg m/s.
The velocity is 15 m/s.
Calculation: v = 37500 ÷ 2500
Fill in the blank: Momentum is conserved in a _______.
closed system.
True or False: Momentum can change in a closed system if external forces act on it.
False.
What is an example of momentum conservation in a bullet and gun scenario?
The gun recoils backwards as it shoots a bullet, demonstrating conservation of momentum.
