Law of Conservation of Linear Momentum in Physics

What equation best represents the horizontal momentum in the given situation?

A. 15V;+ 2v; = 150/+ 21
B. 150,+ 2(0) = 1504+ 211
C. 15V+ 2v,= (15 + 2)
D. 150,+ 2(0) = (15 + 2)

What is the law of conservation of linear momentum in physics?

Answer: C
Explanation: The equation that can be used to represent horizontal momentum in this situation is 15V+ 2v,= (15 + 2)v_f.

The law of conservation of linear momentum in physics states that the total linear momentum of a closed system remains constant over time, as long as no external forces are acting on it. This means that the total momentum before a collision or interaction is equal to the total momentum after the collision. The equation m₁.u₁ + m₂ u₂ = m₁.v₁ + m₂ v₂ represents the conservation of linear momentum, where m₁ and m₂ are the masses of the objects involved, u₁ and u₂ are their initial velocities, and v₁ and v₂ are their final velocities. In the given scenario with the lab cart and the dropped mass, the horizontal momentum can be calculated using the equation 15V+ 2v,= (15 + 2), where the initial velocity of the lab cart is denoted by V and the final velocity is denoted by v_f. This conservation principle is crucial in understanding and analyzing the motion of objects in physics, allowing us to predict the outcomes of collisions and interactions accurately.