A rubber ball and a lump of clay have equal mass.They are thrown with equal speed against a wall.The ball bounces back with nearly the same speed with which it hit.The clay sticks to the wall.Which one of these objects has the greater momentum change?
A)the ball
B)the clay
C)Both of them have the same non-zero momentum change.
D)Both of them have zero momentum change.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Momentum change is given by Δp = mΔv, where Δv is the change in velocity. Since both objects are thrown with equal speed, the initial velocity is the same. When they hit the wall, both objects experience the same force and thus the same momentum change. However, since the ball bounces back with nearly the same speed, its final velocity is much greater than that of the clay, which stuck to the wall. Therefore, the ball has a greater change in velocity and hence a greater momentum change.

A Rubber Ball and a Lump of Clay Have Equal