Question

What is the impulse acting on an object in a collision?

A. It depends on the object's mass
B. It is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the change in momentum
C. It is equal in magnitude and direction to the force applied
D. It is impossible to calculate

Answer 1

Impulse is the change in momentum of an object caused by the application of a force over a specific time interval, equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the change in the object's momentum.

Step-by-step explanation:

The impulse acting on an object in a collision is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the change in momentum of the object. By the impulse-momentum theorem, impulse is defined as the product of the average force applied to the object and the time duration over which this force acts. The impulse experienced by an object is, therefore, a vector quantity and signifies the change in the object's momentum due to the application of a force over a specific time interval.

For example, consider a car collision where the change in momentum or force times the collision time is measured to determine the impulse imparted to each car involved. If two cars of equal mass collide and one comes to a stop while the other moves with some velocity, the law of conservation of momentum dictates that the total system momentum remains constant, confirming that the impulse given to one object is equal and opposite to that of the other object.