Object a has mass ma = 8 kg and initial momentum pa, i = < 15, -8, 0 > kg · m/s, just before it strikes object b, which has mass mb = 11 kg. just before the collision object b has initial momentum pb, i = < 2, 7, 0 > kg · m/s.
a) consider a system consisting of both objects a and b. what is the total initial momentum of this system, just before the collision?
b) the forces that a and b exert on each other are very large but last for a very short time. if we choose a time interval from just before to just after the collision, what is the approximate value of the impulse applied to the two-object system due to forces exerted on the system by objects outside the system?
c) therefore, what does the momentum principle predict that the total final momentum of the system will be, just after the collision?
d) just after the collision, object a is observed to have momentum pa, f = < 13, 4, 0 > kg · m/s. what is the momentum of object b just after the collision?