Final answer:
Each object in a system has its own mass, which is a constant property, but acceleration, velocity, and momentum can differ among objects due to differing masses and forces. In a collision experiment with two objects of equal mass, the total system momentum remains constant before and after the collision unless external forces act on the system.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering a system of multiple objects moving together where each object has different masses, the following quantities will vary:
- Mass: Each object retains its individual mass, which is an intrinsic property of the object and does not change regardless of the system's motion.
- Acceleration: The acceleration of each object could be different, depending on the forces acting on the objects. As Newton's Second Law states, the same force exerted on systems of different masses produces different accelerations.
- Velocity: Unless acted upon by the same net force for the same amount of time, the velocities of objects with different masses could differ.
- Momentum: Momentum is the product of mass and velocity (p = mv), so different velocities and/or masses will result in different momenta.
In the specific case of an experiment measuring the momentum of a system of two air cars (A and B) with equal masses, one moving and one at rest, after release (collision), the total momentum will be conserved (option b). This means it will be equal before and after the collision, provided there are no external forces acting on the system. The type of collision (elastic or inelastic) affects how the momentum is distributed between the cars after the collision, but does not affect the total momentum of the system.