Momentum and Collisions

Front

What is momentum?

Back

Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity, represented by the formula p = mv, where p is momentum, m is mass, and v is velocity.

Front

What is the relationship between mass and velocity when momentum is constant?

Back

The relationship is inverse; if mass increases, velocity must decrease to keep momentum constant.

Front

What are the two main types of collisions?

Back

The two main types of collisions are elastic collisions, where kinetic energy is conserved, and inelastic collisions, where kinetic energy is not conserved.

Front

In a perfectly elastic collision, what happens to the total kinetic energy?

Back

The total kinetic energy before and after the collision remains the same.

Front

What happens to the velocity of a billiard ball in a perfectly elastic collision with an identical stationary ball?

Back

The moving billiard ball comes to rest, and the stationary ball moves with the initial velocity of the first ball.

Front

How do you calculate momentum?

Back

Momentum (p) is calculated using the formula p = mv, where m is mass and v is velocity.

Front

If two objects have the same mass, which object has more momentum?

Back

The faster moving object has more momentum.

Front

What is an inelastic collision?

Back

An inelastic collision is one in which the colliding objects stick together after the collision, and kinetic energy is not conserved.

Front

What is an elastic collision?

Back

An elastic collision is one in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.

Front

Can momentum be conserved in inelastic collisions?

Back

Yes, momentum is always conserved in both elastic and inelastic collisions, but kinetic energy is only conserved in elastic collisions.