Momentum Physics Example 2

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Example 2

medium
A 1500 kg1500 \text{ kg} car moving at 20 m/s20 \text{ m/s} and a 0.05 kg0.05 \text{ kg} bullet moving at 600 m/s600 \text{ m/s}. Which has greater momentum?

Solution

  1. 1
    Car momentum: pcar=1500×20=30,000 kg m/sp_{\text{car}} = 1500 \times 20 = 30{,}000 \text{ kg m/s}.
  2. 2
    Bullet momentum: pbullet=0.05×600=30 kg m/sp_{\text{bullet}} = 0.05 \times 600 = 30 \text{ kg m/s}.
  3. 3
    The car has 10001000 times more momentum than the bullet.

Answer

pcar=30,000 kg m/s≫pbullet=30 kg m/sp_{\text{car}} = 30{,}000 \text{ kg m/s} \gg p_{\text{bullet}} = 30 \text{ kg m/s}
Momentum depends on both mass and velocity. Even though the bullet is much faster, the car's enormous mass gives it far more momentum.

About Momentum

The product of an object's mass and velocity, representing the quantity of motion it carries.

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Example 4 medium

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