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Can a human weighing 150lbs have more momentum than a 20 ton train moving at 1mph? Explain your answer.

User Noemy
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Final answer:

The train with a mass of 20 tons moving at 1 mph has more momentum than a human weighing 150 lbs.

Step-by-step explanation:

Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity. It is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. The formula for momentum is:

Momentum = mass x velocity

In this case, a human weighing 150 lbs has a mass of approximately 68 kg. Let's assume their velocity is 1 mph, which is about 0.447 m/s.

So the momentum of the human is:

Momentum = 68 kg x 0.447 m/s = 30.396 kg·m/s

On the other hand, a train weighing 20 tons has a mass of 20,000 kg. If the train is moving at 1 mph, which is about 0.447 m/s, its momentum would be:

Momentum = 20,000 kg x 0.447 m/s = 8,940 kg·m/s

Therefore, the train has more momentum than the human.

User Anil Kumar Ram
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