Question

In which of these situations would an object have the greatest momentum?(1 point)
Responses

An object with a small mass is moving slowly.
An object with a small mass is moving slowly.

An object with a small mass is moving quickly.
An object with a small mass is moving quickly.

An object with a large mass is moving quickly.
An object with a large mass is moving quickly.

An object with a large mass is moving slowly.

Answer 1

Momentum is calculated using the formula:

\[ \text{Momentum} = \text{mass} \times \text{velocity} \]

To determine which situation has the greatest momentum, we should consider both mass and velocity.

- **An object with a small mass is moving slowly:** Low momentum due to both low mass and low velocity.
- **An object with a small mass is moving quickly:** Moderate momentum, as the velocity is high, but mass is still small.
- **An object with a large mass is moving quickly:** High momentum, as both mass and velocity are significant.
- **An object with a large mass is moving slowly:** Moderate momentum, due to large mass but low velocity.

Among these options, **"An object with a large mass is moving quickly"** would have the greatest momentum due to the combination of large mass and high velocity.