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 remains constant; it is conserved. The momentum before the explosion equals the momentum after the explosion.

Front

How does increasing velocity affect momentum?

Back

If the velocity of an object increases, its momentum increases proportionally, since momentum is directly proportional to velocity.

Front

What is the principle of conservation of momentum?

Back

The principle states that in a closed system, the total momentum before an event (like a collision or explosion) is equal to the total momentum after the event.

Front

What is an elastic collision?

Back

An elastic collision is a type of collision where both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.

Front

What is an inelastic collision?

Back

An inelastic collision is a type of collision where momentum is conserved, but kinetic energy is not conserved.

Front

What is an explosion in terms of momentum?

Back

An explosion is a type of interaction where two or more objects move apart after being at rest, with the total momentum conserved.

Front

If a basketball is thrown in space, what happens to the thrower?

Back

The thrower will move in the opposite direction of the throw, but at a lower speed due to the conservation of momentum.

Front

What is the relationship between mass and momentum?

Back

Momentum is directly proportional to mass; if mass increases while velocity remains constant, momentum increases.

Front

How do you calculate the momentum of an object?

Back

Momentum (p) is calculated using the formula p = mv, where m is mass in kilograms and v is velocity in meters per second.