Question

Is there ever a situation where an ant will have more momentum than an elephant? Explain why or why not?

Answer 1

An ant will have greater momentum than elephant only if the elephant is standing still.

The variation in momentum of object is called as impulse acting on it.

Explanation:

The term momentum is defined as product of object’s mass $m$  and velocity $\overrightarrow v$  buy which it moves and the momentum can be denoted by vector quantity $\overrightarrow p$ .

Whose product of mass and velocity is more; its momentum will be more.

If the elephant will stand still that means its velocity is equal to zero, so the product of its mass and velocity is zero. Hence, it will have zero momentum.

Since, the mass of ant is negligible small but have some velocity for moving. So, it will have small momentum but more than zero.

Therefore, the ant will have greater momentum than elephant only if elephant is stands still.

The option “The elephant has much high mass” is not correct because having high mass but zero velocity will result in zero momentum.

If the ant will stand still it will have zero velocity so its momentum is equal to zero. Hence, thus option is also incorrect.

The term impulse is said to be the rate of change of momentum with respect to time as can be written as,

$\begin{aligned}{\text{Impulse}}&=\Delta\overrightarrow p\\\overrightarrow F\Delta t&=\Delta\overrightarrow p\\\end{gathered}$

Here, $\Delta t$  is the change in time and $\Delta\overrightarrow p$  is the change in momentum.

Therefore, the change in momentum of an object is defined as impulse.

The option change in velocity of object is said to be the acceleration, so this option is incorrect.

The option force that acts on an object times its velocity is called as the power.

Learn More:

1. Momentum brainly.com/question/6955558

2. More about momentum brainly.com/question/8402250

3. Force and motion brainly.com/question/9665711

Answer Details:

Grade: High School

Subject: Physics

Chapter: Momentum

Keywords:

Ant, elephant, momentum, more, explain, standing, mass, fast, still, change, object, velocity, force, times, impulse, acting, negligible, product, zero.

Answer 2

Answer:

1. Yes, if the elephant is standing still.

2. impulse acting on it.

Explanation:

Momentum is the product of mass and velocity. A change in momentum occurs when any of the quantities change. A change in momentum is equal to impulse acting on it. A change in momentum per unite time generates force.

P = m v

ΔP = Δm v  or mΔv

F = ΔP /Δt

Impulse, F Δt = ΔP.

An ant has negligible mass in comparison to an elephant. Thus, an ant can have more momentum only when the elephant is standing still. Then, the momentum of the elephant would be zero as it would have zero velocity. and a moving ant would have more Momentum.

The change in momentum of an object is impulse acting on it.

Impulse, F Δt = ΔP.