u have 2 cars moving at the same mass and speed collide and stick together what is the momentum?
a. twice the original
b. half the original
c. the same as the original
d. 10 times the original
To find the momentum after the cars collide and stick together, we need to understand the concept of momentum. Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity. The formula for momentum is:
Momentum (p) = mass (m) * velocity (v)
Given that the two cars have the same mass and speed and collide and stick together, the new mass of the combined cars will be the sum of their individual masses. The new velocity will be the same as their initial velocity since they stick together and move as a single unit.
Let's assume the mass of each car is "m" and the speed of each car is "v". After the collision, the combined mass of the two cars will be 2m (m + m). The velocity will remain "v".
Now, we can calculate the momentum using the formula:
Momentum after collision = (mass after collision) * (velocity after collision)
Substituting the values, we get:
Momentum after collision = (2m) * v = 2mv
Comparing the momentum after the collision with the original momentum, we find:
Momentum after collision = 2 * (original momentum)
Therefore, the correct answer is (a) twice the original.