Question

What is the momentum versus velocity graph like, when mass is fixed?
A. Straight line
B. Exponential curve
C. Parabola
D. Circle

Answer 1

Hint: In order to answer this question, first we will discuss the relation between the momentum and the velocity to know which type of graph is created for the relation between momentum versus velocity. Momentum is the product of velocity and mass.

Complete step by step answer:
Momentum is a measurable quantity whose measurement is dependent on the observer's motion. For example, if an apple is seated in a descending glass elevator and an outside observer looks into the elevator and sees the apple moving, the apple has a non-zero momentum to that observer.

A body's linear momentum is defined as the product of its mass and velocity. The amount and direction of linear momentum are both vector quantities. The momentum vector points in the same direction as the body's velocity.

Momentum (Linear momentum) for a moving body is defined as the product of mass and velocity. If a body is moving with velocity, $v$ and having mass, $m$ then momentum of the body is $p = m \times v$ . S.I unit of momentum is $kgm{s^{ - 1}}$.

$p = \dfrac{{dp}}{{dt}} \\
\Rightarrow p = m({v_2} - {v_1}) $
Therefore, the nature of the graph will be straight line.

Hence, the correct option is A.

Note: Momentum is affected by mass, while velocity is unaffected by mass. In a closed system, the momentum is conserved, but the velocity is not. The velocity must always be modified by an external force, but the momentum can be changed by changing the mass.