Question

A 10 kg bear is running to the right at 10 m/s. He crashes into another 10 kg bear running to the left at -5 m/s. They collide and stick together, and move on together at 2.5 m/s. Write at least 2 or 3 sentences explaining whether momentum was conserved in this situation.

Answer 1

Answer:

Total momentum is conserved

Explanation:

Conservation of Momentum

The momentum is a physical magnitude that measures the product of the object's velocity by its mass. The total momentum of a system is the sum of all its components' individual momentums. The two-bear system starts with a total moment of  

$p=m_1v_1+m_2v_2=(10)(10)+(10)(-50)=50\ kg.m/s$

When both bears stick together, the total mass is 20 kg, and the new momentum is

$p'=(20)(2.5)=50 \ kg.m/s$

We have assumed both bears move to the right after the collision. In this situation, the total momentum is conserved