According to the laws of momentum in a closed system, what remains constant?

Disable ads (and more) with a premium pass for a one time $4.99 payment

Prepare for the AQA GCSE Physics Paper 2 Exam. Study with interactive quizzes, detailed questions, and explanations. Boost your confidence and excel in your exam!

In a closed system, the principle of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum remains constant both before and after a collision. This means that the sum of the momenta of all objects involved in the collision does not change as long as no external forces act on the system.

When a collision occurs, the momenta of the individual objects may change, but the overall momentum, calculated by adding all the individual momenta together, will remain the same. This is fundamental to understanding interactions in physics, particularly in analyzing the outcomes of collisions, whether they are elastic or inelastic.

The total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision, demonstrating that the momentum carried into the system by the objects is conserved. This principle is pivotal in various applications in physics, from simple mechanics problems to more complex systems involving multiple interacting bodies.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy