A red car has a head-on collision with an approaching blue car with the same magnitude of momentum. A green car driving with the same momentum as the other cars collides with an enormously massive wall. Which of the three cars will experience the greatest impulse?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Impulse is defined as the change in momentum of an object. In each scenario described, the change in momentum is the same for all the cars, as they all start with the same momentum and come to a stop (momentum becomes zero). The interaction with another car or a wall does not change the amount of impulse experienced, as long as the initial and final momenta are the same.

A Red Car Has a Head-On Collision with an Approaching