The system consists of the two gliders. So it appears that the spring is indeed an external force. But the direction the spring accelerates the block is in negative direction, so I am not sure how the TOTAL momentum of the system will change.brainpushups said:
Even if you count the spring as external to the system (and I'm not sure that's intended), you are not given any mass for it. Taking its mass as zero, it cannot add or remove any momentum from the system of gliders.Joe Armas said:
The system consists of the two gliders. So it appears that the spring is indeed an external force. But the direction the spring accelerates the block is in negative direction, so I am not sure how the TOTAL momentum of the system will change.
Momentum conservation is a fundamental law of physics that states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant over time. This means that in a closed system, the total amount of momentum before an event or interaction is equal to the total amount of momentum after the event or interaction.
Momentum conservation is important because it is a fundamental law that governs the behavior of objects in motion. It allows us to predict and understand the motion of objects and systems, and it is a crucial concept in many areas of science and engineering, such as mechanics, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics.
Momentum is conserved through interactions between objects. In a closed system, the total momentum remains constant because the momentum of an object can only change if it experiences a force. This force must be balanced by an equal and opposite force, resulting in a conservation of momentum.
No, momentum conservation only applies to closed systems where there is no external force acting on the system. In an open system, where there are external forces present, momentum may not be conserved. However, the law of conservation of momentum can still be applied by considering the total momentum of the system and the external forces acting on it.
Momentum conservation is closely related to Newton's laws of motion, specifically the law of action and reaction. This law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that when two objects interact, their total momentum remains constant, as the forces they exert on each other are equal and opposite.