Question

Investigators are on the scene of a terrible traffic accident involving a large truck and a passenger van. The van had been stopped at a red light, but the large truck's brakes had failed so it plowed into the stationary van. How would they calculate the amount of momentum with which the truck hit the van?

By multiplying the van's speed by the truck's speed
By multiplying the van's mass by the truck's mass
By multiplying the van's mass by its acceleration
By multiplying the truck's mass by its velocity

Answer 1

By multiplying the truck's mass by its velocity

Step-by-step explanation:

correct on the test

Answer 2

By multiplying the truck's mass by its velocity

Step-by-step explanation:

Momentum p=mv where m is the mass of object and v is the velocity of the object.

From the formula, it's clear that momentum is a product of mass and velocity. Therefore, to find the momentum with which the truck hit the van, we multiply the truck's mass by its velocity