An isolated rail car of mass $M$ is moving along a straight,frictionless track at an initial speed $v_0$. The car is passing under a bridge when a crate filled with $N$ bowling balls,each of mass $m$,is dropped from the bridge into the bed of the rail car. The crate splits open and the bowling balls bounce around inside the rail car,but none of them fall out. Is the momentum of the rail car $+$ bowling balls system conserved in this collision?

  • A
    Yes,the momentum is completely conserved.
  • B
    Only the momentum component in the vertical direction is conserved.
  • C
    Only the momentum component parallel to the track is conserved.
  • D
    No components are conserved.

Explore More

Similar Questions

Newton's third law of motion leads to the law of conservation of

$A$ vessel at rest explodes into three pieces. Two pieces having equal masses $m$ fly off perpendicular to one another with the same velocity $30 \, m/s$. The third piece has three times the mass of each of the other pieces. The magnitude and direction of the velocity of the third piece will be:

You are on a frictionless horizontal plane. How can you get off if no horizontal force is exerted by pushing against the surface?

$A$ system of $N$ particles is free from any external forces. Which of the following is true for the magnitude of the total momentum of the system?

$A$ man of mass $m_1$ is standing at a height $h$ from the floor in a gravity-free room. He throws a ball of mass $m_2$ downwards with a speed $u$. Find the distance of the man from the floor when the ball reaches the floor.

Vedclass Products

For Students

Vedclass Test Series

Mock tests in real JEE/NEET style with performance analysis. 5-day free trial.

Start Free Trial
For Teachers

Exam Paper Generator

Generate Set A/B/C/D exam papers from 7.5L+ questions in 2 minutes. 3 chapters free.

Try Free
For Institutes

Online Exam Module

Live online exams with unlimited students, 360° analytics & white-label branding.

See Demo