The total momentum of a system of masses (i.e. moving bodies) in any one direction remains constant, unless acted upon by an external force in that direction. This statement is called-
Principle of conservation of momentum
Based on the definition provided in the question, the correct statement is the Principle of Conservation of Momentum. Rigid bodies (statics/external effects) Additional Information on Momentum Conservation The principle of conservation of momentum is a very powerful tool in physics, especially when analyzing collisions and explosions because internal forces are often much larger than external forces during these short events, allowing external forces to be ignored as a first approximation.
Important Questions from Conservation of Linear Momentum
A heavy particle of rest mass M while moving along the positive z - direction, decays into two identical light particles with rest mass m (where M > 2m). The maximum value of the momentum that any one of the lighter particles can have in a direction perpendicular to the z-direction, is
A metal ball with the momentum mv strikes a wall and bounces back. The change in the ball's momentum is ideally
A mass of 4 kg moving at 3 m/s collides with a mass of 6 kg moving at 2 m/s in the opposite direction and they stick together. The combined mass has velocity of:
In an orbital motion, the angular momentum vector is:
- Body A of mass $m$ moving with speed $u$ collides with another body B of mass $3m$, at rest. The collision is head-on and elastic in nature. After the collision, the fraction of energy lost by the colliding body A is:
