Question

A car has 400 kgm/s worth of momentum and runs into a truck initially at rest. What is the initial momentum of the truck?

Answer 1

If a car has 400 kgm/s worth of momentum and runs into a truck initially at rest. The initial momentum of the truck is 400 kgm/s.

What is the momentum?

The total momentum following the collision is equal to the sum of the momentum of the truck and the automobile, according the conservation of momentum principle.

So,

Total momentum after collision = Car's momentum + Truck's momentum

400 kgm/s = 0 kgm/s + Truck's momentum

By rearranging the equation the initial momentum of the truck is 400 kgm/s.

Therefore the initial momentum of the truck is 400 kgm/s.

Answer 2

0 kgm/s

Step-by-step explanation:

The momentum is the product of mass(m) and velocity(v).

Initially the velocity of truck is 0 m/s so the product of mass and velocity becomes 0.

It does not matter what is the weight of truck, because the velocity will make the product of m*v = 0

It does not matter what is the momentum of car.