Answer:
Momentum is given by
p
=
m
v
. Impulse is the change of momentum,
I
=
Δ
p
and is also equal to force times time:
I
=
F
t
. Rearranging,
F
=
I
t
=
Δ
p
t
=
0
−
20
,
000
5
=
−
4000
N
.
Explanation:
Momentum before the collision is
p
=
m
v
=
2000
⋅
10
=
20
,
000
k
g
m
s
−
1
.
Assuming the truck comes to a complete halt, the momentum after the collision is
0
k
g
m
s
−
1
.
The change in momentum,
Δ
p
, is initial minus final
→
0
−
20
,
000
=
−
20
,
000
This is called the impulse:
I
=
Δ
p
. Impulse is also equal (check the units) to force times time:
I
=
F
t
.
We can rearrange this expression to make
F
the subject:
F
=
I
t
=
Δ
p
t
=
−
20
,
000
5
=
−
4000
N
The negative sign just means the force acting is in the opposite direction to the initial momentum.
(This will be the average force acting during the collision: collisions are chaotic so the force is unlikely to be constant.)
