Pinitial
Definition
Pinitial refers to the initial total momentum before a collision occurs. It takes into account both the mass and velocity of all objects involved in the system.
Analogy
Imagine you have several billiard balls lined up on a pool table, each with its own mass and velocity. Pinitial would be the combined momentum of all those balls just before they collide.
Related terms
Pfinal (Final Momentum): Refers to the total momentum of the system after a collision has occurred.
Conservation of Momentum: The principle that states that the total momentum of an isolated system remains constant before and after a collision, as long as no external forces are acting on it.
Impulse: The change in momentum experienced by an object when a force is applied to it for a certain amount of time.
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