Momentum-an egg dropped on the ground vs. grass

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the physics of momentum and impulse, specifically comparing the outcomes of dropping an egg on different surfaces—road versus grass. Participants explore why one egg breaks while the other does not, considering factors like change in momentum and time intervals for stopping.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between change in momentum and impulse, with some suggesting that the time interval for stopping is greater on grass. Others question the phrasing of the original problem and the clarity of what is being asked.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants offering insights and questioning assumptions. Some guidance has been provided regarding eliminating options to clarify reasoning, but there is no explicit consensus on the correct interpretation of the question.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the question is poorly phrased, leading to confusion about which egg's outcome is being analyzed. This ambiguity may affect how the problem is approached and understood.

girl52
Messages
7
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



an egg dropped on the road breaks, while the egg that is dropped on grass doesn't break...why?

a. the change in momentum is greater
b. change in momentum is less
c. the time interval for stopping is greater
d. time interval for stopping is less

Homework Equations



there are no equations...

The Attempt at a Solution



im guessing, the time interval for stopping is greater cause the grass slows it down before it hits the ground?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
change in momentum is force, and force is mg for both situation. i think ur right.
 
change in momentum - impulse. do you have the answer to this question ?
 
phever said:
change in momentum - impulse. do you have the answer to this question ?

no...it's a take home test worth a lot of points so i want to be 100% sure i got it right
 
welcome to pf!

hi girl52! welcome to pf! :wink:
girl52 said:
im guessing …

nooo, don't guess :rolleyes:

eliminate a and b so that you can be sure

why can't it be a or b ? :smile:
 
girl52 said:

Homework Statement



an egg dropped on the road breaks, while the egg that is dropped on grass doesn't break...why?

a. the change in momentum is greater
b. change in momentum is less
c. the time interval for stopping is greater
d. time interval for stopping is less

What a terribly phrased question; Which particular egg are they expecting the answer to apply to? In other words, are they asking why the road egg broke, or why the grass egg didn't?
 
I think that they want to know why the other egg didn't brake mostly because it is more intuitive that the egg will brake than that it won't.
 
madah12 said:
I think that they want to know why the other egg didn't brake mostly because it is more intuitive that the egg will brake than that it won't.

The point is, it should be absolutely clear which result is to be explained. This is physics, not psychics. Would *you* want to risk several points on a marker's interpretation of the question?
 

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
17K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K