Understanding Momentum: Comparing Mack Trucks and Small Trucks

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In this case, the Mack truck has a greater mass than the small truck, even though it is not moving. Therefore, in summary, the Mack truck has more momentum than the small truck.
  • #1
bower5932
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I'm trying to help my high school kid solve some momentum problems, and one of us must be missing something simple. The question is "What has more momentum a Mack truck (ie, very large object) that is still or a small truck that is moving?" I thought that momentum=mass*velocity. If this is the case, then the Mack truck would have a 0 and the small truck would have a positive number. However, my kid tells me the answer is the Mack truck. Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance.
 
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  • #2
Don't think so.
 
  • #3
You're right.

[tex]P=mv[/tex]
 
  • #4
momentum

your are correct
movementum is defined as

P = mv

where P is linear movementum, m is mass of object and v is velocity.
 

1. What is momentum?

Momentum is a physical quantity that describes the motion of an object. It is defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity.

2. How is momentum calculated?

Momentum is calculated by multiplying an object's mass by its velocity. The formula for momentum is p = m * v, where p is momentum, m is mass, and v is velocity.

3. What are the units of momentum?

The units of momentum are kg*m/s. This can also be written as newton-seconds (N*s) since momentum is a product of mass (kg) and velocity (m/s), which are both units of force and distance, respectively.

4. What is the principle of conservation of momentum?

The principle of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant. This means that in a system where there are no external forces acting, the initial momentum of the objects before a collision or interaction will be equal to the final momentum after the collision or interaction.

5. How is momentum related to Newton's Laws of Motion?

Momentum is related to Newton's Laws of Motion in that the first law states that objects will remain at rest or in motion at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. This means that an object with momentum will continue in its state of motion unless acted upon by an external force.

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