Momentum Conceptual Questions

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 happens to the total momentum in a closed system during an explosion?

Back

The total momentum before the explosion is equal to the total momentum after the explosion, according to the law of conservation of momentum.

Front

If two objects collide and stick together, what type of collision is this?

Back

This is called an inelastic collision, where kinetic energy is not conserved.

Front

What is the formula for calculating momentum?

Back

The formula for momentum is p = mv, where p is momentum, m is mass, and v is velocity.

Front

What is an elastic collision?

Back

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

Front

How does increasing velocity affect momentum?

Back

If the mass remains constant, increasing the velocity of an object will increase its momentum proportionally.

Front

What is the total momentum of two objects moving towards each other with equal mass and speed?

Back

The total momentum will be zero after the collision, as they will cancel each other out.

Front

What happens to momentum when a firework explodes in mid-air?

Back

The total momentum remains zero, as the pieces move in various directions to cancel each other out.

Front

What is the relationship between mass, velocity, and momentum?

Back

Momentum is directly proportional to both mass and velocity; if either increases, momentum increases.

Front

What is the significance of the direction in momentum?

Back

Momentum is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction; the direction of momentum is the same as the direction of velocity.