Question

Akhtar, Kiran and Rahul were riding in a motorcar that was moving with a high velocity on an expressway when an insect hit the windshield and got stuck on the windscreen. Akhtar and Kiran started pondering over the situation. Kiran suggestedthat the insect suffered a greater change in momentum as compared to the change in momentum of the motorcar (because the change in the velocity of the insect was much more than that of the motorcar). Akhtar said that since the motorcar wasmoving with a larger velocity, it exerted a larger force on the insect. And as a result the insect died. Rahul while putting an entirely new explanation said that both the motorcar and the insect experienced the same force and a change in their momentum.12. Who suggested that the mass of insect is very small when compared to the mass of car hence it suffered a greater change in momentum.


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Answer 1

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Rahul gave the correct reasoning and explanation that both the motorcar and the insect experienced the same force and a change in their momentum. As per the law of conservation of momentum.

When 2 bodies collide:

Initial momentum before collision

= Final momentum after collision

m1 u1+ m2 u2

= m1 v1+ m2 v2

The equal force is exerted on both the bodies but, because the mass of insect is very small it will suffer greater change in velocity.