Question

Which of the following statement is FALSE about momentum? (Consider the formula p = mv .)

Group of answer choices

The momentum of an object varies directly with the speed of the object.

Two objects of different mass are moving at the same speed; the more massive object will have the greatest momentum.

A less massive object can never have more momentum than a more massive object.

An object with a changing speed will have a changing momentum.

Answer 1

"A less massive object can never have more momentum than a more massive object."

That statement is FALSE, because momentum doesn't only depend on mass alone. It also depends on the speed with which the mass is moving. If the less massive object is moving at a tremendous speed, then it's quite possible for it to have more momentum than a more massive object.

A nice example is: A brick wall. The brick wall is not moving at all. Its speed is zero, so it has NO momentum. An ant crawling along on top of the brick wall has more momentum than the brick wall itself has.