Final answer:
The total momentum of the two air cars in a collision on a frictionless track will be equal before and after the collision according to Newton's laws, specifically conservation of momentum, if no external forces act upon the system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between force and motion is effectively described by Newton's laws, which play a critical role in physics. Considering an experiment where two air cars of equal mass collide on a frictionless track, one stationary and one in motion, we can analyze the situation using Newton's laws. The law of conservation of momentum tells us that the total momentum of a closed system before and after a collision remains constant if no external forces act upon it. Therefore, if car A has a certain speed and car B is at rest before the collision, the total momentum of the two cars will be equal before and after the collision.
This outcome aligns with Newton's first and second laws. Newton's first law, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Newton's second law connects the concepts of force, mass, and acceleration in the formula F=ma, indicating that the acceleration of an object as produced by a net force is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force, in the same direction as the net force, and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
Given this, the correct answer to the question about the total momentum of the two air cars before and after the collision is that it will be equal before and after the collision, making choice (b) the correct answer. It is important to note that this is assuming that no external forces are acting on the system. However, if external forces were present, the total momentum could indeed change.