Question

Before an impact, object 1 has a momentum of 25 kg m/s straight north and object 2 has amomentum of 75 kg m/s straight south. What is the total momentum after the impact?

Answer 1

50 kg m/s straight south.

Step-by-step explanation:

By the conservation of momentum, the total momentum after the impact is equal to the momentum before the impact. Since the objects have momentum in opposite directions, we need to subtract the values, so

`\begin{gathered} p=75\text{ kg m/s - 25 kg m/s} \\ p=50\text{ kg m/s} \end{gathered}`

Therefore, the total momentum after the impact is 50 kg m/s straight south.