Asked by t

Two students perform an experiment with soccer balls. They kick two soccer balls so that they collide. They measure the total momentum of the two soccer balls before and after the collision. Which statement explains why the total momentum of the soccer balls before and after the collision may not be the same?(1 point)
Responses

The system does not have any external forces.
The system does not have any external forces.

The soccer balls each have a different momentum after the collision than before the collision.
The soccer balls each have a different momentum after the collision than before the collision.

The soccer balls exert forces on each other when they collide.
The soccer balls exert forces on each other when they collide.

The system has external forces, such as friction and air resistance, acting on it.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
The correct answer is: "The system has external forces, such as friction and air resistance, acting on it."

Explanation: Momentum is conserved only when net external force on the system is zero. Friction with the ground and air resistance (external forces) can change the total momentum of the two-ball system during the collision.