Complete the following statement: Momentum will be conserved in a two-body collision only if
A)both bodies come to rest.
B)the collision is perfectly elastic.
C)the kinetic energy of the system is conserved.
D)the net external force acting on the two-body system is zero.
E)the internal forces of the two body system cancel in action-reaction pairs.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The law of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant if there is no external force acting on it. Therefore, momentum will be conserved in a two-body collision only if the net external force acting on the two-body system is zero, which is the condition described in option D. The other options are not necessary conditions for momentum conservation in a collision.

Complete the Following Statement: Momentum Will Be Conserved in a Two-Body