Question

The space shuttle, in circular orbit around the Earth, collides with a small asteroid which ends up in the shuttle's storage bay. For this collision,
a. neither momentum nor kinetic energy is conserved.
b. only momentum is conserved.
c. both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.
d. only kinetic energy is conserved.

Answer 1

Answer:

b

Explanation:

The space shuttle, in circular orbit around the Earth, collides with a small asteroid which ends up in the shuttle's storage bay.

This form of collision is called inelastic collision. And inelastic collision momentum is conserved but the kinetic energy is not conserved. Hence the correct option is b. only momentum is conserved.