Conservation of Momentum in a Collision

What principle governs the motion of objects involved in a collision?

The principle of conservation of momentum governs the motion of objects involved in a collision. In this scenario, the momentum of the system remains constant before and after the collision.

Answer:

The principle of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a system remains constant if no external forces act on it. In this case, the momentum before the collision is equal to the momentum after the collision.

When two objects collide, such as a billiard ball and a marble in this case, their total momentum remains the same if no external forces are present. This means that the momentum of the objects before the collision is equal to the momentum of the objects after the collision.

Momentum is defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity. By applying the principle of conservation of momentum, we can analyze the motion of the objects involved in a collision. The equation used to solve for the initial speed of the billiard ball in this scenario is derived from this principle.

In the given data, the billiard ball collides with the stationary marble, resulting in a change in their velocities. By equating the total momentum of the system before and after the collision, we can determine the initial speed of the billiard ball.

Understanding the conservation of momentum is crucial in analyzing the motion of objects in collisions. It allows us to predict how the velocities and directions of objects change during a collision event.