A student wants to determine the impulse delivered to the lab cart when it runs into the wall. The student measures the mass of the cart and the velocity of the cart before it hits the wall. What other measurement is necessary to calculate the impulse delivered to the lab cart?
Answer
A
the velocity of the cart after it hits the wall
B
the time the cart is in contact with the wall
C
the acceleration of the cart before it hits the wall
D
the force exerted on the cart by the wall
Explanation
Impulse equals the change in momentum: J = m(v_after − v_before). Since the student already knows the cart’s mass and its velocity before impact, the necessary additional measurement is its velocity after it hits the wall. Contact time or force alone would not determine the impulse without the other quantity.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.