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cart 1 pushed away from the other cart loaded with two 500 g bars (experiment C)

ID: 2022085 • Letter: C

Question

cart 1 pushed away from the other cart loaded with two 500 g bars (experiment C), which cart had more momentum at the moment they separated? Why?

a.) Cart 2 - because cart 1 has so much less mass than cart 2 which means Cart 1 has essentially no momentum & cart 2 has lots of momentum.

b.) They have the same amount of momentum because they both eventually will stop as a result of friction & thus they will both have zero momentum.
c.) They have the same amount of momentum because the total momentum of the system is zero thus the momentum (magnitude) of cart 1 must equal the momentum (magnitude) of cart
d.) Cart 2 - because it has more mass than cart 1 and the object with more mass will have more momentum.
e.) Cart 1 - because it was moving faster than cart 2 & more speed = more momentum.
f.) Cart 1 - because it has less mass than cart 2 and thus the spring will push it harder and give cart 1 more momentum

I already know that A is not correct.

Explanation / Answer

c.) They have the same amount of momentum because the total momentum of the system is zero thus the momentum (magnitude) of cart 1 must equal the momentum (magnitude) of cart Pin = Pout o = mv + mv therefore mv = mv