Question

Two birds of prey hurtling after the same mouse collide in mid-air and grab each other with their talons. Each 250-g bird is flying at 30m/s at a 60° angle to the ground. What is the total momentum of the two birds after the collision?

1) 0 kg·m/s
2) 15 kg·m/s
3) 30 kg·m/s
4) 60 kg·m/s

Answer 1

The total momentum of the two birds after the collision is 0 kg·m/s because their equal and opposite momenta cancel each other out, according to the conservation of momentum.

Step-by-step explanation:

The total momentum of the two birds after the collision can be found by considering the law of conservation of momentum, which states that the total momentum of a system remains constant if no external forces are acting on it. Since the two birds grab each other, this is an inelastic collision, meaning they move together after the collision. However, the question states that they grab each other, not the mouse, so we assume they cancel each other’s momentum since they are of equal mass and flying at the same speed but in opposite directions (they collide). Thus, the total momentum after the collision is 0 kg·m/s, because their momenta in opposite directions cancel each other out.