Understanding Momentum
* Momentum (p) is a measure of an object's mass in motion. It's calculated as:
* p = mv (where m is mass and v is velocity)
The Scenario
We have two balls:
* Ball 1: Mass (m₁) = 0.5 kg, Velocity (v₁) = 1.0 m/s (let's assume it's moving to the right, so positive velocity)
* Ball 2: Mass (m₂) = 0.5 kg, Velocity (v₂) = -1.0 m/s (moving to the left, so negative velocity)
Calculating Total Momentum
1. Momentum of Ball 1:
* p₁ = m₁v₁ = (0.5 kg)(1.0 m/s) = 0.5 kg·m/s
2. Momentum of Ball 2:
* p₂ = m₂v₂ = (0.5 kg)(-1.0 m/s) = -0.5 kg·m/s
3. Total Momentum (p_total):
* p_total = p₁ + p₂ = 0.5 kg·m/s - 0.5 kg·m/s = 0 kg·m/s
Answer: The total momentum of the system before the collision is 0 kg·m/s.
Important Note: Since the balls are moving with equal and opposite velocities, their individual momenta cancel each other out, resulting in a total momentum of zero. This demonstrates the principle of conservation of momentum, which states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant.
