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WAEC 2011 Physics · Question 13

An object of mass 5.0 kg moves with a velocity of 10ms−1ms^{-1}. Calculate its momentum.

Options

  1. A.50.0 kgms−1ms^{-1}
  2. B.15.0 kgms−1ms^{-1}
  3. C.2.0 kgms−1ms^{-1}
  4. D.0.5 kgms−1ms^{-1}

Answer: A. 50.0 kgms−1ms^{-1}

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: You're given a mass (m = 5.0 kg) and a velocity (v = 10 m/s) and asked for the momentum.

Concept: Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity. It is a vector quantity, so it points in the same direction as the velocity.

p=m×vp = m \times v

The SI unit is kg m s⁻¹ (equivalent to N s).

Solution:

p=5.0 kg×10 m s−1p = 5.0 \text{ kg} \times 10 \text{ m s}^{-1}
p=50.0 kg m s−1p = 50.0 \text{ kg m s}^{-1}

Checking the other options:

  • B (15.0) comes from adding the numbers (5 + 10), which is wrong.
  • C (2.0) comes from dividing velocity by mass (10 ÷ 5), which is wrong.
  • D (0.5) comes from dividing mass by velocity (5 ÷ 10), which is also wrong.

Exam tip: Remember "p = mv": Push needed to stop a moving object grows with both mass and velocity. Momentum is a product, so never add or divide the numbers. Always check that your unit is kg m s⁻¹.

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