# Tagged Questions

In introductory mechanics, the momentum of a particle is its mass times its velocity. In electrodynamics, the momentum of a field is proportional to the cross-product of the electric field with the magnetic field. In special relativity, momentum is generalized to four-momentum.

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### Firing machine question

Suppose we have a firing machine on a frictionless surface at point $x=0$. It fires a bullet of mass $m$ every $T$ seconds. Each bullet has the same constant velocity $v_0$. There's a body of mass ...
0answers
28 views

### Schrodinger equation in momentum space [duplicate]

I have a problem this is: When I solve the Schrodinger equation in momentum space, I had done as this: \$\begin{array}{l} i\hbar \frac{{\partial \Psi }}{{\partial t}} = - \frac{\hbar ...
1answer
258 views

### Nuclear reaction: creation of deuterium

A proton p collides with a neutron(at rest) n at relatively low-energies and creates a 'deuterium-core' d: p+n->d+γ Find the wavelength for the photon as a function of the proton's momentum and the ...
1answer
24 views

### Two dimensional elastic collisions with varying angle of incident

If in an elastic collision I know all initial values and that mass for each object remains constant throughout the collision (but different from one another) how can I determine their final velocity ...
0answers
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### How multiple objects in contact are resolved in an inelastic collision, when edge normals don't “line up”

In a case I understand, let's say I have an object A moving at velocity V toward 3 objects in contact B, C, and D: The momentum of A is the mass of A times its velocity. To figure out how the ...
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### Who discovered momentum?

I read some text about momentum in Wikipedia, but I didn't find any information who discovered momentum. Is the momentum a philosophic principle?
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### Is there a momentum for charge?

Since mass and charge behave similarly, so, just like center of mass, I define a point center of charge, that is defined by $$\vec r_{qm} = \frac {\sum{q_i \vec r_i}} {\sum{q_i}}$$ where $\vec r_i$ ...
2answers
43 views

### Simple conservation of momentum and frame of reference problem

I'm making a very simple physics engine based on momentum, and I'm solving what response to use for a collision from each involved object's frame of reference. However, something about how I'm ...
1answer
272 views

### Kinetic energy in the center of mass

In a collision of a particle of mass $m_1$ moving with speed $v_1$ with a stationary particle of mass $m_2$ not all the original kinetic energy can be converted into heat or internal energy. what ...
1answer
133 views

### General relativity and the conservation of momentum

I'm trying to understand the conservation of momentum in general relativity. Due to the curvature of space-time by matters and energy, the path of a linear motion appears to be distorted. Therefore ...
2answers
129 views

### What does it mean if a body has kinetic energy?

What does it mean if a body has kinetic energy? Does it mean that the momentum vectors of each particle of that body has the same direction? What about angular momentum?
1answer
70 views

### Conservation of momentum in collision of two bodies

Suppose we have some ramp on wheels of mass $M$, standing on a frictionless surface. A cart of mass $m$ moves with a certain velocity $v$ towards the ramp. The cart moves up the ramp ...
1answer
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### Definition of energy

What is the definition of energy $E$ given a dispersion relation $\omega=\omega(k)$ where $k=|\vec k|$ and $\omega$ is not necessarily linearly proportional to $k$? What about momentum $\vec p$? This ...
2answers
142 views

### Perpendicular Elastic Collision (different masses, different velocities)

I'm stuck on a mechanics problem and I can't make any headway past momentum and kinetic energy being conserved. Here is the problem: Two hover cars are approaching an intersection from ...
1answer
159 views

### Calculating a 2D collision between two perfectly circular disks

Assume I have two disks, $p_1$ and $p_2$, of radius $r$, with their own velocities (preferably in $(x,y)$ form, but $(m, \theta)$ works too) and masses (unit-less, but same unit) collide in two ...
0answers
34 views

### Question about momentum [closed]

Starting at rest, two students stand on 13.7-kg sleds, which point away from each other on ice, and they pass a 5.50-kg medicine ball back and forth. The student on the left has a mass of 58.7 kg and ...
1answer
86 views

### Hermitian Adjoint of differential operator

I came across this equation (identity) (Eq. 4 in this paper): $\int(-i d\psi/dx)^*\psi dx = \int \psi^*(-i d\psi/dx) dx + id(\psi^*\psi)/dx\mid_{-\infty}^{+\infty}$ I have trouble proving it. I ...
2answers
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### Two-body problem questions

I am self studying the two body problem and I'm stuck on the following: I have given $$\ddot{\vec{x}}_1= - G m_2 \frac{\vec{x}_1-\vec{x}_2}{|\vec{x}_1-\vec{x}_2|^3}$$ and \ddot{\vec{x}}_2= - G ...
0answers
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### Changing Momentum [closed]

A high school football player hits and pushes a tackling dummy during practice. The following graph shows the amount of force that acts on the player. a. What is the impulse that acts on the ...
0answers
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### Changing Momentum [closed]

Changing Momentum The illustrations show two ways of providing impulse to change the momentum of a vehicle. In the top illustration, the vehicle collides with a massive concrete barrier. In the ...
5answers
4k views

### Newton's second law of motion in terms of momentum

I am reading a document and in answer to the question State Newton’s second law of motion the candidate answers that The force acting on an object equals the rate of change of momentum of the object. ...
1answer
158 views

### Deceleration of Vehicle off pavement

How would I calculate the deceleration of a vehicle (ATV), wheels locked, on dirt? How long would it take to halt? How fast is it decelerating? I used this calculator, but it seems incorrect for a ...
1answer
56 views

### Quantum mechanical analogue of conjugate momentum

In classical mechanics, we define the concept of canonical momentum conjugate to a given generalised position coordinate. This quantity is the partial derivative of the Lagrangian of the system, with ...
1answer
58 views

### Single photon's effect on conservation of momentum?

When your looking at basic Compton theory you find that if you shoot a stream of photons at a particle (usually atoms or electrons), then you have the basic laws of conservation of momentum. The ...
1answer
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### Fundamental properties of motion

The first paragraph of the Wikipedia article on the angular momentum operator states that In both classical and quantum mechanical systems, angular momentum (together with linear momentum and ...
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### Conservation of momentum in two body collision [closed]

A neutron of mass $1.7\times10^{-27}\ \mathrm{kg}$, travelling at $2.7\ \mathrm{km/s}$, hits a stationary lithium nucleus of mass $1.2\times10^{-26}\ \mathrm{kg}$. After the collision, the velocity of ...
1answer
55 views

### Determine KE of electron given momentum & mass [closed]

Some info: wavelength of electron: $2.78 \times 10^{-10}$ momentum of electron: $2.38 \times 10^{-24}$ Determine KE of electron. In a provided hint: $KE = \frac{p^2}{2m}$. So I have: KE = ...
3answers
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### Which will stop first a heavier car or a lighter car?

If the friction from brakes, wind resistance and all such factors remain constat, which will stop first? A heavier car or a lighter car? How will the momentum of the car and graviational pull on a ...
2answers
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### Use of Operators in Quantum Mechanics

I understand the form of operators in use for quantum mechanics such as the momentum operator: $$\hat{\text{P}}=-ih\frac{d}{dx}$$ My question is in what ways can I use it and what am I getting back? ...
5answers
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### Why is momentum conserved (or rather what makes an object carry on moving infinitely)?

I know this is an incredibly simple question, but I am trying to find a very simple explanation to this other than the simple logic that energy is conserved when two items impact and bounce off each ...
1answer
71 views

### Newton's second law?

$F=ma$. A car strikes a wall at 60 mph. Its acceleration is zero at the time. The force of the car against the wall or vice versa is? To look at the car the force is not zero. Please explain.
1answer
139 views

### Why is momentum conserved when a ball hits a vertical wall?

Almost in every book on physics, there's an example of conservation of momentum when the ball that is moving horizontally in the air, hits some massive wall. They claim that the return speed of the ...
2answers
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### Conservation of Linear Momentum at the point of collision

This is a pretty basic conceptual question about the conservation of linear momentum. Consider an isolated system of 2 fixed-mass particles of masses $m_1$ and $m_2$ moving toward each other with ...
2answers
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### effect of vertical collision on kinetic friction and subsequent change in horizontal velocity

Suppose somehow a block of mass $m$ is moving on ground, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the block is $\mu_k$. If I drop a tennis ball(of same mass) on it from a ...
2answers
56 views

### Minimum $E$ of $p\bar{p}$-collision for $q\bar{q}$ pair with mass $m_q$

I am currently working out the energy required to create a particle anti-particle pair from a collision of a proton travelling along the x-direction with an anti-proton which is at rest. The particle ...
2answers
109 views

### Movement of man and ladder and their center of mass

Suppose there is a massless frictionless pulley. A rope over it carries a mass $M$ and on other side carries a ladder of mass $(M-m)$ and a man on that ladder, of mass $m$. Now the man starts ...
3answers
185 views

### Where do the conservation laws come from?

I know the conservation of energy comes from Noether's theorem via the time-translational symmetry, and if I remember correctly, the conservation of momentum comes from space-translational symmetry. ...
8answers
13k views

### If photons have no mass, how can they have momentum?

As an explanation of why a large gravitational field (such as a black hole) can bend light, I have heard that light has momentum. This is given as a solution to the problem of only massive objects ...
1answer
368 views

### Simple 2D Vehicle collision physics

I'm trying to create a simplified GTA 2 clone to learn. I'm onto vehicle collisions physics. The basic idea I would say is, To apply force F determined by vehicle A's position and velocity onto point ...
0answers
37 views

### Need help with relativistic dynamics

I understand the concept, but I'm having a hard time applying the consequences of conservation (energy/momentum). For example: A proton with kinetic energy 437 MeV hits a proton at rest elastically ...
1answer
116 views

### Relativistic kinematics of particle decay

Suppose a particle decays to three other particles. The masses of all particles are assumed to be known and we work in the rest frame of the parent particle. So there are 12 parameters for this ...
4answers
198 views

### Bat hitting a ball

When a bat hits a ball, consider two cases: 1) The batsman goes for a defense, and stonewalls it, to reduce its speed. 2) the batsman goes for a shot, e.g. a home-run, etc. in which case will the ...
1answer
122 views

### Inelastic collision and impulse

Suppose I have some cart moving horizontally in a straight line and with a constant velocity, and there is no friction between the surface and the cart. Now, I throw a plasticine on the cart at some ...
2answers
374 views

### Calculating force of impact

Since $\text{force = mass}\times\text{acceleration}$, is it right to say that an object traveling at a high constant velocity (zero acceleration), exerts zero force upon impact with a stationary ...
2answers
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### Conservation of Momentum from Recoil Speed

A gun has a recoil speed of 2 m/s when firing. If the gun has a mass of 2kg and the bullet has a mass of 10g (0.01 kg) what speed does the bullet come out at? The gun has zero total momentum before ...
0answers
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### How do I find the force from drop shock using material properties?

I am dropping a cylindrical cast iron bar with a know elastic modulus and poisson's ratio, $E_{1}$ and $v_{1}$, onto a flat beam of elastic modulus, $E_{2}$ and $v_{2}$ so there is tangential drop ...
1answer
68 views

### Shooting a bullet at a system of blocks [closed]

So, I made this question up myself.... and I'm curious about the answer. It requires only secondary-school-level knowledge of physics: You have a surface (ground) with a certain coefficient of ...
2answers
102 views

### A thought on definition of momentum

Well, this is a simple, basic and I think even silly doubt. The first time I saw the definition of momentum as $p = mv$ I started to think why this is a good definition. So I've read the beginning of ...
2answers
885 views

### Do the physics in the FlyBoard video make sense?

If you haven't seen the video of the FlyBoard, please have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd6C1vIyQ3w&feature=youtube_gdata_player Yes, it's amazing, but do the physics make sense or is ...
4answers
166 views

### Can a balloon be used as an anchor point for a pulley?

For a physics/ engineering contest, I want to use a large balloon as an anchor point for a pulley. This would allow me to raise and drop masses. However, in testing, when I pull on the pulley the ...
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