Answer :
Final answer:
When the hammer hits the nail, it transfers part of its momentum to the nail, causing the nail to move forward into the wood. While the hammer's momentum decreases due to the inelastic nature of the impact, the system's total momentum is conserved as the nail gains momentum in the same direction. Newton's third law explains this interaction, emphasizing that the forces act upon each other equally and oppositely.
Explanation:
Understanding Momentum in the Hammer-Nail Interaction
When you swing a hammer and strike a nail, the hammer possesses momentum due to its mass and velocity. This momentum is a vector quantity, defined as the product of the mass (m) of the hammer and its velocity (V): p = mV.
Upon impact with the nail, several things happen:
- The hammer transfers some of its momentum to the nail, causing it to move forward into the wood.
- The collision can be considered inelastic because kinetic energy is lost during the impact, primarily due to deformation and sound.
- Despite the kinetic energy loss, the total momentum of the system (hammer + nail) is conserved. This means while the hammer's momentum decreases after the impact, the nail starts to gain momentum in the same direction.
According to Newton's third law, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. As the hammer strikes the nail, the nail exerts an equal and opposite force back on the hammer. This is why the hammer's momentum appears to decrease after hitting the nail - it is imparting momentum to the nail.
As a result, while the hammer might slow down after hitting the nail, the overall momentum of the system remains constant, and the nail’s gaining momentum compensates for the hammer’s loss of momentum.
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