Question

Difficulty: EasyMomentum and Collisions

A 2,000 kg2,000 \text{ kg} pickup truck is coasting along a level road at a velocity of 15 m/s15 \text{ m/s}. What is the magnitude of the truck's momentum?

Answer: 30000 kg m/s

Answer

30000
Momentum is directly proportional to both mass and velocity. By multiplying the 2,000 kg2,000 \text{ kg} mass by the 15 m/s15 \text{ m/s} velocity, we determine the total momentum is 30,000 kg⋅m/s30,000 \text{ kg} \cdot \text{m/s}.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the known variables from the text.
Mass (mm) is 2,000 kg2,000 \text{ kg} and velocity (vv) is 15 m/s15 \text{ m/s}.
Momentum calculation requires both the mass and the velocity of the object.
2
Apply the formula for momentum.
p=m×vp = m \times v
The linear momentum of an object is defined as the product of its mass and its velocity.
3
Calculate the final value.
p=2,000×15=30,000p = 2,000 \times 15 = 30,000
Multiplying the mass by the velocity yields the total magnitude of momentum.

Key Concept

Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity (p=mvp = mv).
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