Issac physics question about momentum

Sounds like youre close, what did you do?

Reply 2

OP

(Original post by mqb2766)Sounds like youre close, what did you do?

I got the momentum of the atom by multiplying the mass and velocity, and used the equation force=momentum/time to put the momentum and the time that I got given from the question, then I got the force eventually.

Reply 3

Original post by lheeseung_05

(Original post by mqb2766)Sounds like youre close, what did you do?

I got the momentum of the atom by multiplying the mass and velocity, and used the equation force=momentum/time to put the momentum and the time that I got given from the question, then I got the force eventually.

The impulse will be equal to the change in momentum.

Reply 4

OP

Original post by mqb2766

The impulse will be equal to the change in momentum.

It said the atom bounces off in the same speed, and wouldn't this mean the momentum of atom before and after collision would be the same as well?? Therefore the change in momentum will be zero.

Reply 5

Original post by lheeseung_05

It said the atom bounces off in the same speed, and wouldn't this mean the momentum of atom before and after collision would be the same as well?? Therefore the change in momentum will be zero.

Momentum is signed, like velocity.

Reply 6

OP

Original post by mqb2766

Momentum is signed, like velocity.

What does it mean by signed??

Reply 7

Original post by lheeseung_05

What does it mean by signed??

Has direction, so a positve velocity means its moving in one direction and a negative velocity would mean its moving in the opposite direction.

Reply 8

OP