Question

1. a large truck and a small car collide head - on. the truck has twice the mass of the car. which vehicle experiences the greatest momentum change? (1 point)

the truck
the car
neither, they both have the same
neither, they both have none

Explanation:

Step1: Recall law of conservation of momentum

In a closed - system (the collision of the truck and the car), the total initial momentum equals the total final momentum. Mathematically, $p_{i - total}=p_{f - total}$, where $p = mv$ (momentum = mass×velocity).

Step2: Analyze momentum change

The change in momentum of the truck $\Delta p_{truck}=p_{f - truck}-p_{i - truck}$, and the change in momentum of the car $\Delta p_{car}=p_{f - car}-p_{i - car}$. According to the law of conservation of momentum, $\Delta p_{truck}=-\Delta p_{car}$. The magnitude of the change in momentum of the truck is equal to the magnitude of the change in momentum of the car.

Answer:

C. neither, they both have the same