Which would have a greater momentum: a lion with a mass of 150kg travelling at a speed of 72km hr or a 1200 kg safari car travelling at 6.0km hr?
momentum = mass*velocity
which one is larger?
Lion has more momentum
To compare the momenta of the lion and the safari car, we need to remember the formula for momentum:
Momentum = mass × velocity
First, let's convert the lion's speed from km/hr to m/s, since the unit of momentum is kg·m/s. To do this, we divide the speed by 3.6:
72 km/hr ÷ 3.6 = 20 m/s
Now, let's calculate the momentum of the lion:
Momentum = mass × velocity
= 150 kg × 20 m/s
= 3000 kg·m/s
Next, let's convert the safari car's speed:
6.0 km/hr ÷ 3.6 = 1.67 m/s (approx.)
Now, we'll calculate the momentum of the safari car:
Momentum = mass × velocity
= 1200 kg × 1.67 m/s
= 2004 kg·m/s
Comparing the two, we can see that the lion has a greater momentum:
Lion: 3000 kg·m/s
Safari Car: 2004 kg·m/s
Therefore, the lion has a greater momentum compared to the safari car.