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The kinetic energy of a body of mass 15 kg is 30 joule. What is its momentum?

(grade 9 physics-GRAVITATION)

1 Answer

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This problem is a piece o' cake, IF you know the formulas for both kinetic energy and momentum. So here they are:

Kinetic energy = (1/2) · (mass) · (speed²)

Momentum = (mass) · (speed)

So, now ... We know that

==> mass = 15 kg, and

==> kinetic energy = 30 Joules

Take those pieces of info and pluggum into the formula for kinetic energy:

Kinetic energy = (1/2) · (mass) · (speed²)

30 Joules = (1/2) · (15 kg) · (speed²)

60 Joules = (15 kg) · (speed²)

4 m²/s² = speed²

Speed = 2 m/s

THAT's all you need ! Now you can find momentum:

Momentum = (mass) · (speed)

Momentum = (15 kg) · (2 m/s)

Momentum = 30 kg·m/s

(Notice that in this problem, although their units are different, the magnitude of the KE is equal to the magnitude of the momentum. When I saw this, I wondered whether that's always true. So I did a little more work, and I found out that it isn't ... it's a coincidence that's true for this problem and some others, but it's usually not true.)

User Mehmet Otkun
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