Understanding Momentum

* Momentum (p): A measure of an object's mass in motion. It's calculated as: p = mv (mass x velocity)

* Conservation of Momentum: In an isolated system (no external forces), the total momentum before a collision equals the total momentum after the collision.

Applying the Concepts

1. Momentum before the collision:

* Car 1 (at rest): p1 = 0 (since velocity = 0)

* Car 2: p2 = (1000 kg)(10 m/s) = 10000 kg*m/s

2. Total momentum before the collision:

* Total momentum = p1 + p2 = 0 + 10000 kg*m/s = 10000 kg*m/s

3. Total momentum after the collision:

* Since momentum is conserved, the total momentum after the collision is also 10000 kg*m/s.

Answer

The magnitude of the combined momentum of the two cars after the collision is 10000 kg*m/s.