Question Detail

PHY 101 PHY 101 Past Questions Objective Question
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Question

In a two-dimensional collision, the conservation of momentum principle implies that:
Options
A Only the momentum in the direction of motion is conserved.
B The total momentum is conserved, so each component is conserved independently.
Correct Answer
C Momentum is conserved only if the collision is elastic.
D Kinetic energy is conserved in each direction.
Correct Answer

Option B is the correct answer.

Detailed Explanation

Since momentum is a vector quantity, its conservation means that the total momentum vector is constant. This implies that the x-component, y-component, and z-component of the total momentum are each conserved separately.

Hint

A vector equation is equivalent to a set of scalar equations, one for each coordinate direction.

Question Info

Course: PHY 101
Topic: PHY 101 Past Questions
Type: Objective
Difficulty: Not specified
Question 495 of 1250
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