Question

A student wants to determine the impulse delivered to the lab cart when it runs into the wall. The student measures the mass of the cart and the velocity of the cart before it hits the wall. What other measurement is necessary to calculate the impulse delivered to the lab cart?
the velocity of the cart after it hits the wall
the force exerted on the cart by the wall
the time the cart is in contact with the wall
the acceleration of the cart before it hits the wall

Answer 1

Answer: the velocity of the cart after it hits the wall

Explanation:

Impulse is the force exerted in a small interval of time. It can also be defined as the change in momentum.

I = F Δt = m v - m u = m(v-u)

where, m is the mass of the object, v is the final velocity and u is the initial velocity.

It is measured in Newton-seconds or kilogram-meter per second.

When the mass of the cart and initial velocity is given, the final velocity is required after it hits the wall in order to calculate the impulse delivered to the lab cart.

Answer 2

The correct answer to the question is : A) The velocity of the cart after it hits the wall.

EXPLANATION:

Before answering this question, first we have to understand impulse.

Impulse of a body is defined as the change in momentum or the product of force with time.

Mathematically impulse = m ( v- u ).

Here, v is the final momentum and u is the initial momentum.

Hence, we need the velocity of the cart after it hits the wall in order to calculate the impulse of the lab cart.