AP Physics B Practice Exam

Category - Introductory Physics

Which of the following has the least momentum?
  1. a 0.5 kg mass with a 1000 m/s velocity
  2. a 1 kg mass with a 100 m/s velocity
  3. a 10 kg mass with an 11 m/s velocity
  4. a 100 kg mass with a 2 m/s velocity
Explanation

Answer: B - a 1 kg mass with a 100 m/s velocity

The object with the most momentum is the one with the greatest product of mass and velocity. In other words, an object with a larger mass moving at a slower velocity can have the same momentum as a smaller mass object moving at a faster velocity. To determine which object has the most momentum, you need to compare the values of their momentum vectors, which can be calculated using the equation p = mv, where m is the mass of the object and v is its velocity.

It's important to note that momentum is a vector quantity, so it has both magnitude and direction. When comparing the momentum of two objects, you must compare both the magnitude and direction of their momentum vectors. If the magnitude of the momentum vectors is the same, but their direction is different, then the objects have different momentum. If the magnitude and direction of the momentum vectors are the same, then the objects have the same momentum.

Momentum is an important concept in classical mechanics and is conserved in isolated systems, meaning that the total momentum of a system remains constant if no external forces act upon it. This principle is known as the law of conservation of momentum and is widely used in physics to analyze collisions and other interactions between objects.

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