spaceship 1 and spaceship 2 have equal masses of 300kg. spaceship 1 has an initial momentum magnitude of 9000 kg-m/s. what is its speed?

Question

a) 8700 m/s

b) 300 m/s

c) 30 m/s

d) 3 m/s

Answer 1

Momentum is mass times velocity.

Therefore, by dividing both sides by mass, we see that on the right-hand side, mass cancels leaving only velocity but on the left hand side we have momentum divided by mass.

Therefore, velocity is the same as the momentum divided by mass.

Take the magnitude of the initial momentum of the spaceship, divide by its mass and you will have the magnitude of its initial velocity, also known as its speed. Speed is the magnitude of velocity --- the rate at which the object's

position is changing without specifying in which direction.

Tip: You don't need a calculator for this calculation!

9000 kg ·m/s

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300 kg

Consider the numerator to be 9 * 10 * 10 * 10 and the denominator to be 3*10*10. What cancels? What simplifies? What is the answer?