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)

Question

Responses

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

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

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

Answer 1

The correct statement that explains why the total momentum of the soccer balls before and after the collision may not be the same is:

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

This is because external forces can affect the motion of the soccer balls, potentially altering their total momentum during the course of the experiment. In an ideal scenario with no external forces, the total momentum would remain constant, but in a real-world situation, forces such as friction and air resistance can play a significant role.