1.22 use the conservation of momentum to calculate the mass, velocity or momentum of objects

1.22 use the conservation of momentum to calculate the mass, velocity or momentum of objects

Force x time = increase in momentum

If a moving object hits another slow or stationary object, it will result an equal force to both of the objects (according to Newton’s Third Law). That forces act in opposite directions and obviously for the same amount of time. This means the F x t for each is the same size. The moving object lost its momentum while the stationary object gained its momentum. So it is balanced. The total moment of the two objects is unchanged before and after the collision – momentum is conserved.

Momentum before the collision = momentum after the collision
(f x t) + (f x t) = (f x t) (f x t)