In a collision between two unequal masses, how does the impulse imparted to the smaller mass by the larger mass compare with the impulse imparted to the larger mass by the smaller one?
A) It is larger.
B) It is smaller.
C) They are equal.
D) The answer depends on the ratio of the masses.
E) The answer depends on how fast they are moving.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Newton's third law of motion, the force exerted by one object on another is always equal and opposite to the force exerted by the second object on the first. This means that the impulse imparted on one object by the other is also equal and opposite. Therefore, the impulse imparted to the smaller mass by the larger mass is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the impulse imparted to the larger mass by the smaller one.

In a Collision Between Two Unequal Masses, How Does the Impulse