The law of conservation of momentum states that the sum of momenta of ...
The law of conservation of momentum states that for two objects colliding in an isolated system, the total momentum before and after the collision is equal. This is because the momentum lost by one object is equal to the momentum gained by the other.
Conservation of momentum is derived from Newton's laws of motion. Newton's third law states that every action has an equal but opposite reaction; the force that one object A exerts on object B is equal but opposite to the force that object B exerts on object A. By Newton's second law, this force is equal to the product of the mass and the acceleration of the objects, so the product of the mass and acceleration of object A is equal but opposite to the product between the mass and acceleration of object B.
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The law of conservation of momentum states that the sum of momenta of ...
Law of Conservation of Momentum:
The law of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a system of objects remains constant if no external unbalanced forces act on it. This means that the sum of the momenta of two objects before a collision is equal to the sum of their momenta after the collision, provided that no external unbalanced force acts on them.
Explanation of the Correct Answer (Option B):
The correct answer is option B, which states that no external unbalanced force acts on the objects. Let's understand why this is the correct answer.
1. Definition of an External Unbalanced Force:
An external unbalanced force refers to a force that is applied on an object from outside the system and is not counteracted by an equal and opposite force. It causes a change in the momentum of an object.
2. Conservation of Momentum:
The law of conservation of momentum is based on the principle of Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the context of momentum, this means that the change in momentum of one object is equal and opposite to the change in momentum of another object involved in the interaction.
3. Before Collision:
Before a collision, the objects involved possess certain momenta. The sum of their momenta is determined by their masses and velocities. The objects may be moving in the same direction, opposite directions, or at different angles to each other.
4. During Collision:
During the collision, the objects interact with each other. They exert forces on each other for a short duration of time. These forces can be internal, which are exerted by the objects on each other, or external, which are exerted by external sources on the objects.
5. After Collision:
After the collision, the objects may continue moving together, separate from each other, or move in different directions. The sum of their momenta after the collision is determined by their masses and velocities.
6. Conservation of Momentum:
If no external unbalanced force acts on the objects, the total momentum of the system remains constant. This means that the sum of the momenta of the objects before the collision is equal to the sum of their momenta after the collision. The internal forces between the objects can redistribute the momentum within the system, but the total momentum remains the same.
Conclusion:
The correct answer, option B, states that no external unbalanced force acts on the objects. This is because the law of conservation of momentum applies only when no external unbalanced force is present, allowing the total momentum of the system to remain constant.
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