Superfly, mass of only 1 gram, but capable of flying at the incredible speed of 840 million km/hr, meets a locomotive with a mass of 20,000 kg, traveling at 40km/hr. Who has the greater momentum?
Superfly:
Mass = 1*10^-3 kg
V = 840*10^6km/h = 840*10^9m/3600s. =
2.333*10^8 m/s.
Momentum = M*V = 1*10^-3 * 2.33*10^8 =
2.33*10^5.
Locomotive:
Mass = 20,000kg
V = 40km/h = 40,000m/3600s = 11.11 m/s.
Momentum = M*V = 2.*10^4 * 11.11 = 2.22*10^5.
Superfly has the greater momentum.