1) Two identical automobiles have the same speed, one traveling east and one traveling west. Do these cars have the same momentum? Explain.
No. Same car, same mass, same speed, but different velocity.
correct. Momentum is a vector.
This means that it takes into account not just the magnitude (speed) of an object, but also the direction in which it is moving (velocity). In this case, the two cars have the same speed but are moving in opposite directions (east and west). Therefore, their momenta are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, so they do not have the same momentum overall.
2) How is momentum defined?
Momentum is defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. The formula for momentum is: momentum = mass x velocity.
To understand why the two cars do not have the same momentum, let's first clarify what momentum is. Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity and can be defined as the quantity of motion an object possesses. Mathematically, momentum (p) can be calculated using the formula p = m * v, where m represents the mass of the object and v represents its velocity.
In this scenario, you mentioned that the two identical automobiles have the same speed. Speed is a scalar quantity that only indicates how fast an object is moving without considering its direction. However, momentum is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.
Since the cars are traveling in opposite directions (one east and one west), their velocities have opposite signs. When calculating momentum, it is essential to consider the direction. Thus, even though the cars have the same speed, their velocities have opposite signs, resulting in different momenta.
In conclusion, these two identical automobiles will not have the same momentum because they have different velocities, one traveling east and the other west.