Question

In a closed system three objects have the following momentum 110 kg • m/s, -65 kg • m/s and -100 • m/s. The objects collide and move together. What is the total momentum after collison?

Answer 1

In a closed system, the total momentum before a collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision, according to the law of conservation of momentum.

To find the total momentum before the collision, we simply add the momentum of each object:

\[
\text{Total momentum} = 110 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s} + (-65 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s}) + (-100 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s})
\]

Calculating this step by step:

1. Add \( 110 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s} \) and \(-65 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s}\):
\[
110 - 65 = 45 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s}
\]

2. Now add \(-100 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s}\):
\[
45 - 100 = -55 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s}
\]

Thus, the total momentum before the collision is \(-55 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s}\).

Since momentum is conserved in the collision, the total momentum after the collision will also be:

\[
\text{Total momentum after the collision} = -55 \, \text{kg} \cdot \text{m/s}
\]