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Chapter 9: Problem 4

The momentum of a system of pool balls is the same before and after they are hit by the cue ball. Is it still the same after one of the balls strikes the edge of the table? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
No, the momentum of the system is not the same after one of the balls strikes the edge of the table. This is due to the external force exerted by the edge of the table, which changes the momentum of the system.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Momentum Conservation

The principle of momentum conservation states that the total momentum of a closed system is constant if no external forces are acting on it. In this case, before the cue ball hits the pool balls, the system (cue + pool balls) has a certain total momentum equal to the momentum of the cue ball.
02

Consider The Impact

When the cue ball impacts the other balls, the momentum is not lost, but rather transferred among the balls. Therefore, the total momentum of the system remains the same after the impact, with some balls now in motion carrying the transferred momentum.
03

Understand the Impact with the Edge

However, when a ball strikes the edge of the table, this introduces an external force into the system, which is exerted by the edge on the ball, effectively stopping or altering its motion. This leads to a change in the system's momentum as this external force is involved.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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