Lab+12.1+-+Physlets

Illustration 8.1 As the time over which a force is exerted increases, the momentum an object has increases as well. When the same force is applied to a mass that is x times more than the "original" mass, the velocity of the new mass is 1/x times as much as the "original's" mass.

Illustration 8.2 When the mass of a pushed object increases, its kinetic energy drops. When the time is extended, the impulse the object receives is increased. When the forces are applied over different times and to different masses, the kinetic energy changes and therefore is not a constant measure.

Illustrations 8.3 Depending on whether or not the collision is a hard or soft one, the center of mass of the system may or may not physically collide. In a hard collision, the objects do collide and the object with the larger mass has a slower velocity afterward while the less massive object "recoils" at a faster velocity than the other object.