The discussion revolves around a conservation of momentum problem involving a ball colliding with a wall. Participants are exploring the implications of momentum conservation in the context of external forces and the behavior of the system post-collision.
Some participants have provided insights regarding the nature of momentum as a vector and the need to consider changes in direction. There is an acknowledgment of the complexity introduced by external forces, but no consensus has been reached on the final interpretation of the problem.
Participants are considering the constraints of the problem, particularly the assumption that the wall is stationary and the implications of including the Earth in the system. There is also mention of the difficulty in measuring the effects of the wall's force on the overall momentum.
Conservation of momentum only applies to a closed system, i.e. no outside forces. The wall exerts a force. If you include the wall, the Earth exerts a force on the wall. If you include the Earth then in fact it will acquire a velocity from the impact, but so small you could not possibly measure it.David112234 said:
It is the same as before only its x component changes, first it goes right, then it goes leftharuspex said:
The magnitude is the same as before, but momentum and velocity are vectors. What is the net change in velocity?David112234 said:
Oh so I do vector additionharuspex said: