Identical forces act for the same length of time on two different masses. The change in momentum of the smaller mass is
A) smaller than the change in momentum of the larger mass, but not zero.
B) larger than the change in momentum of the larger mass.
C) equal to the change in momentum of the larger mass.
D) zero.
E) There is not enough information to answer the question.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Newton's second law, the change in momentum is equal to the force applied times the length of time it acts. Since the forces are identical, the change in momentum is directly proportional to the mass. Therefore, the change in momentum of the smaller mass is equal to the change in momentum of the larger mass.

Identical Forces Act for the Same Length of Time on Two