Two 1 kg balls moving at 10 m/s hit a wood wall, each losing momentum which is transferred to the wall as a result of the collision. One ball is made of clay and sticks to the wall. The other is made of rubber and bounces backward at 10 m/s. Which one transfers more momentum to the wall? Why?
Before the collision:
Clay ball: M*V = 1*10 = 10 kg-m/s.
Rubber ball: M*V = 1*10 = 10kg-m/s.
After the collision:
Clay ball: M*V = 1*0 = 0 kg-m/s.
Rubber ball: = M*V = 1*(-10) = -10 kg-m/s.
a. The clay ball transferred the most momentum to the wall.
b. Because it gave up all of it's momentum to the wall; the rubber ball bounced off the wall with the same momentum it had before the collision.
To determine which ball transfers more momentum to the wall, we need to calculate the momentum before and after the collision for both the clay ball and the rubber ball.
The momentum of an object can be calculated by multiplying its mass (m) by its velocity (v):
Momentum = mass x velocity
Given:
- Mass of each ball = 1 kg
- Velocity of each ball before the collision = 10 m/s
Let's calculate the momentum before and after the collision for each ball:
1. Clay ball:
- Mass (m) = 1 kg
- Velocity (v) before the collision = 10 m/s
- Momentum before the collision = mass x velocity
= 1 kg x 10 m/s
= 10 kg·m/s
Since the clay ball sticks to the wall after the collision, its final velocity is zero. Therefore, the momentum after the collision for the clay ball is also zero.
2. Rubber ball:
- Mass (m) = 1 kg
- Velocity (v) before the collision = 10 m/s
- Momentum before the collision = mass x velocity
= 1 kg x 10 m/s
= 10 kg·m/s
After the collision, the rubber ball bounces backward at 10 m/s. As momentum is conserved in a collision, the magnitude of the ball's momentum after the collision will be the same as before. Therefore, the momentum after the collision for the rubber ball is also 10 kg·m/s, but in the opposite direction.
Comparing the two cases, we can see that the rubber ball transfers more momentum to the wall. The clay ball loses all its momentum as it sticks to the wall, while the rubber ball retains its momentum but changes direction.