Exploration 9.4: Compare Motion in Accelerating Frames


reference frame acceleration:  a = m/s2

set acceleration for Animation 1 set acceleration for Animation 2 set acceleration for Animation 3

Please wait for the animation to completely load.

Is physics different when viewed in different reference frames?  The momentum of each ball is shown in the table, and the kinetic energy of each cart is shown in the bar graph in joules (position is given in meters and time is given in seconds).  You can change your reference frame using the text box, -2 m/s2 < a < 2 m/s2.  Answer the following questions.   Restart.

  1. Does the total momentum depend on the reference frame?
  2. Does the change in momentum depend on the reference frame?
  3. Is the total momentum conserved in all reference frames?
  4. Find the ratio of the two masses.  Is this result the same in all reference frames?
  5. Is there a reference frame in which the total momentum is zero?  

 

 

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