At what speed relative to the lab will a 0.272-kg object have the same momentum as a 1.30-kg object that is moving at 0.515c relative to the lab?
A) 0.944c
B) 0.922c
C) 0.981c
D) 0.592c

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We know that momentum (p) is given by:

p = m*v

where m is the mass of the object and v is its velocity.
Let's denote the velocity of the 0.272 kg object as v1 and the velocity of the 1.3 kg object as v2. In this case, we want to find v1 such that:

p1 = p2

or

m1*v1 = m2*v2

Substituting the given values, we get:

0.272*v1 = 1.3*(0.515c)

Solving for v1, we get:

v1 = (1.3*0.515c)/0.272 = 0.944c

Therefore, the answer is A) 0.944c.

At What Speed Relative to the Lab Will a 0