Will momentum be conserved?

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In summary, momentum conservation is a fundamental principle in physics that states the total momentum of a closed system remains constant over time regardless of any internal or external forces. It is important because it allows us to predict the outcome of physical interactions and understand the laws of motion. External forces are the main factor that affects momentum conservation, and in collisions, momentum is conserved as long as there are no external forces acting on the system. According to the law of conservation of momentum, momentum cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred between objects or systems.
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raman911
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Homework Statement


Imagine a universe that consists of nothing but two planets of unequal mass. The large planet has a large negative charge and the smaller planet has a large (but different) positive charge. Suppose that at some time these two planets collide. Will momentum be conserved during the collision? Explain.

The Attempt at a Solution



I Think momentum conserved because there no external force.
please help me
 
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  • #2
Let's imagine it in this universe, far removed from other masses which may disturb them appreciably otherwise. Then, yes, total momentum is conserved, because of the reason you stated.
 
  • #3


I can provide a more detailed response to this question. According to the law of conservation of momentum, the total momentum of a closed system remains constant. In this situation, the two planets can be considered a closed system as they are the only objects in the universe being considered.

Therefore, as long as there are no external forces acting on the system, the total momentum of the system will remain constant. In this case, the only forces acting on the system are the gravitational force between the two planets and the electrostatic force between their charges. Since these forces are internal to the system, they do not affect the total momentum.

Thus, the momentum of the system before and after the collision will be equal, and momentum will be conserved. However, it is important to note that the individual momenta of the two planets may change as a result of the collision, but the total momentum of the system will remain the same.
 

What is momentum conservation?

Momentum conservation is a fundamental principle in physics that states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant over time, regardless of any internal or external forces acting on the system.

Why is momentum conservation important?

Momentum conservation is important because it allows us to predict the outcome of physical interactions and understand the behavior of objects in motion. It also helps us to understand and explain the laws of motion, such as Newton's laws.

What factors affect momentum conservation?

The main factor that affects momentum conservation is the presence of external forces on a system. In an isolated system with no external forces, momentum will be conserved. However, in a non-isolated system, external forces can change the momentum of an object or system.

How is momentum conserved in collisions?

In collisions, momentum is conserved as long as there are no external forces acting on the system. This means that the total momentum of the objects before the collision is equal to the total momentum of the objects after the collision. This principle applies to both elastic and inelastic collisions.

Can momentum be created or destroyed?

No, according to the law of conservation of momentum, momentum cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transferred between objects or systems. This means that the total momentum of a closed system will remain constant, even if the individual momenta of the objects within the system change.

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