which has the greater momentum when they move at the same speed- an automobile or a skateboard? which requires the greatest stopping force?
To determine which object has greater momentum when they move at the same speed, we need to understand the concept of momentum.
Momentum is calculated as the product of an object's mass and its velocity. The formula for momentum is:
Momentum (p) = mass (m) x velocity (v)
When comparing the momentum of an automobile and a skateboard, we need to consider their masses and velocities.
1. Automobile:
Automobiles have significantly greater masses compared to skateboards. Additionally, they generally reach higher speeds. Therefore, automobiles have much greater momentum than skateboards when moving at the same speed.
2. Skateboard:
Skateboards have much smaller masses compared to automobiles. They also usually travel at lower speeds. As a result, skateboards have lower momentum compared to automobiles when moving at the same speed.
Now, let's discuss the force required to stop the objects.
According to Newton's second law of motion, the force required to stop an object is directly proportional to its momentum change per unit of time and is given by the formula:
Force (F) = Change in Momentum (Δp) / Time (t)
When comparing the stopping force:
1. Automobile:
Due to their higher momentum, automobiles require greater force to stop. The larger mass and higher speed of an automobile contribute to its greater momentum, and thus, more force is needed to bring it to a stop.
2. Skateboard:
Since skateboards have smaller momentum compared to automobiles, they require less force to stop. Their lower mass and slower speeds mean less momentum to be stopped, resulting in a lesser stopping force.
In summary, an automobile has greater momentum when moving at the same speed as a skateboard. Additionally, an automobile requires a greater stopping force compared to a skateboard.