Two billiard balls having the same mass roll toward each other, each moving at the same speed. What is the combined momentum of the two balls?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Momentum is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. When two objects of equal mass move towards each other at the same speed and collide, their momenta are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction. Therefore, they cancel each other out, resulting in a combined momentum of 0 kg∙m/s.

Two Billiard Balls Having the Same Mass Roll Toward Each