What is the definition of center-of-mass velocity?
The velocity of the system's center of mass.
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What is the definition of center-of-mass velocity?
The velocity of the system's center of mass.
What is the formula for center-of-mass velocity?
$$v_{cm} = \frac{\sum \vec{p}}{\sum m}$$ where $\sum \vec{p}$ is the sum of all individual object momenta and $\sum m$ is the total mass of the system.
What is the definition of total system momentum?
Sum of all individual momenta in a system.
Define impulse.
Impulse ($j$) is the change in momentum ($\Delta p$) of a system: $$j = \Delta p$$
What is the key idea behind momentum changes within systems when no external forces act?
Any change in momentum for one object is balanced by an equal and opposite change in momentum for another object (Newton's Third Law).
What is the relationship between impulse and momentum?
Impulse is equal to the change in momentum: $$j = \Delta p$$
Define linear momentum.
A measure of an object's mass in motion, quantifying how much 'oomph' it has.
What is center-of-mass velocity?
The average velocity of a system of objects, treating the system as a single entity.
Define impulse.
The change in momentum of an object when the object is acted upon by a force for an interval of time. Mathematically, it's the integral of force with respect to time, but more simply, it is the product of the average force and the time interval for which it acts.
What is an isolated system in the context of momentum?
A system where no net external force acts, and thus the total momentum remains constant.
Define the Impulse-Momentum Theorem.
The change in a system's total momentum equals the impulse exerted on it from outside the system: $\vec{J}=\Delta \vec{p}$
How do you calculate the total momentum of a system?
Add up all the individual momenta, remembering that momentum is a vector (direction matters!).
What is the first step in solving momentum conservation problems?
Define your system to identify if external forces are present and if momentum is conserved.