Monday, October 13, 2008

Today's mini-review CPS session is UP

Check the Linsky files for today's CPS session.

To recap, the toughest question was the size of Δp.

Δp = pf - pi and we know its direction is rightward.
pi = (1 kg m/sec left, 1 kg m/sec down)
pf = (1 kg m/sec right, 1 kg m/sec down)

Subtract horizontal components, final - initial:
     1 kg m/sec right - 1 kg m/sec left
which is just like
     +1 kg m/sec - (-1 kg m/sec)
and that totals +2 kg m/sec, which is the answer.

Note: the vertical components do not change at the impact, so Δp = 2 kg m/sec rightward and nothing vertical.