When a cannon fires a cannonball, the cannon will recoil backward because the
A) energy of the cannonball and cannon is conserved.
B) momentum of the cannon is greater than the energy of the cannonball.
C) energy of the cannon is greater than the energy of the cannonball.
D) momentum of the cannon is conserved.
E) momentum of the cannonball and cannon is conserved.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The law of conservation of momentum states that in the absence of external forces, the total momentum of a system remains constant. When a cannon fires a cannonball, the forward momentum of the cannonball is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the backward momentum of the cannon, thus conserving the total momentum of the system.

When a Cannon Fires a Cannonball, the Cannon Will Recoil