A small rock bounces off the windshield of a moving car and experiences a large change in velocity. How does the car’s momentum change?(1 point)

Question

Responses

It has a change in momentum greater than that of the rock, in the opposite direction.
It has a change in momentum greater than that of the rock, in the opposite direction.

It does not change.
It does not change.

It has a much smaller change in momentum than that of the rock, in the opposite direction.
It has a much smaller change in momentum than that of the rock, in the opposite direction.

It has a change in momentum equal to that of the rock, in the opposite direction

Answer 1

The correct response is:

It has a change in momentum equal to that of the rock, in the opposite direction.

This is in accordance with the law of conservation of momentum, which states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant if no external forces act on it. When the rock bounces off the windshield, the momentum lost by the car is equal to the momentum gained by the rock, but in the opposite direction.