Conservation of Momentum

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Conserved Quantity Noun

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[kuhn-survd kwon-ti-tee]

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Conserved Quantity

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A physical property of a system that remains constant over time, even as the system evolves or interacts internally.

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Example: This diagram shows that in a collision, the total momentum of the objects before they hit (left side) is equal to the total momentum after (right side).

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Isolated System Noun

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[ahy-suh-ley-tid sis-tuhm]

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Isolated System

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A physical system that does not exchange any matter or energy with its surroundings, keeping its total energy constant.

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Example: In a sealed container (an isolated system), particles move and collide, but none can escape. The total momentum of all particles inside remains constant.

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Open System Noun

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[oh-pen sis-tuhm]

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Open System

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A system that can freely exchange both energy and matter with its external environment, allowing its properties to change.

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Example: An open system allows mass to enter or leave, like a rocket expelling fuel. This exchange of mass means the system's total momentum can change.

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Mass Noun

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[mas]

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Mass

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A fundamental property of matter that measures its inertia and the strength of its gravitational attraction to other bodies.

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Example: This image shows a balance scale where an apple has more mass than a 1-gram weight, causing the scale to tip towards the apple.

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Linear Momentum Noun

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[lin-ee-er moh-men-tuhm]

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Linear Momentum

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A vector quantity defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity, representing its quantity of motion.

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Example: A moving block collides and sticks to a stationary block. The diagram shows that the system's total momentum is the same before and after the collision.

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Impulse Noun

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[im-puhls]

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Impulse

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The change in an object's momentum, calculated as the product of the net force acting on it and its duration.

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Example: A force from the expanding spring is applied to the ball for a period of time, causing its momentum to change from zero to a positive value.

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Impulsive Force Noun

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[im-puhl-siv fors]

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Impulsive Force

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A very large force that acts for a very short period of time, such as during a collision or impact.

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Example: This graph shows how a force changes over a short period of time. The total effect of this force, called impulse, is represented by the shaded area.

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Collision Noun

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[kuh-lizh-uhn]

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Collision

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An event where two or more bodies exert strong forces on each other over a relatively short time interval.

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Example: This image shows two objects moving towards each other just before they collide, illustrating the event where momentum is transferred and conserved.

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Elastic Collision Noun

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[ih-las-tik kuh-lizh-uhn]

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Elastic Collision

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A collision in which the total kinetic energy of the system is conserved, in addition to the total momentum.

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Example: This diagram shows two objects before, during, and after a collision, illustrating how their velocities change while total momentum is conserved.

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Inelastic Collision Noun

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[in-ih-las-tik kuh-lizh-uhn]

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Inelastic Collision

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A collision where the total kinetic energy of the system is not conserved, often converted into other energy forms.

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Example: A moving ball collides with a stationary ball, and they stick together, moving as one object after the collision.