Collision for Momemtum and impulse

Thread starter louiseanne
Start date Oct 3, 2011
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Collision Impulse

In summary, momentum is a physical quantity that describes an object's motion, calculated by multiplying its mass and velocity. Impulse is a change in momentum caused by a force applied for a certain time. The law of conservation of momentum states that momentum is always conserved in a collision. An elastic collision is one where the total kinetic energy is conserved, while an inelastic collision results in some energy loss.

Oct 3, 2011

louiseanne

If you were in a car, and you hit a bug. Compared to the force that acts on the bug, how much force acts on the bus, is it greater lesser or equal?

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Oct 3, 2011

mathman

Science Advisor

Did you hit a bug or was it a bus?

What is momentum?

Momentum is a physical quantity that describes the amount of motion an object has. It is calculated by multiplying an object's mass by its velocity.

What is impulse?

Impulse is a change in momentum that occurs when a force is applied to an object for a certain amount of time. It is calculated by multiplying the force by the time it is applied.

How is momentum conserved in a collision?

Momentum is always conserved in a collision, meaning that the total momentum of the objects before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision. This is known as the law of conservation of momentum.

What is an elastic collision?

An elastic collision is a type of collision where the total kinetic energy of the system is conserved. This means that the objects involved bounce off each other without any loss of energy.

What is an inelastic collision?

An inelastic collision is a type of collision where the total kinetic energy of the system is not conserved. Some of the kinetic energy is lost during the collision, usually in the form of heat or sound.