Which of the following objects has the greatest momentum?

• A. A $5 \mathrm{kg}$ ball moving at $4 m/s$
• B. A $10 \mathrm{kg}$ ball at rest
• C. A $2 \mathrm{kg}$ ball moving at $10 m/s$
• D. A $1 \mathrm{kg}$ ball moving at $20 m/s$

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that momentum \(p\) is defined as the product of an object's mass \(m\) and its velocity \(v\), given by the formula: \(p = m \times v\)
2. Calculate the momentum for each object by multiplying its mass and velocity. For the ball at rest, remember that its velocity is zero, so its momentum will be zero.
3. For the 5 kg ball moving at 4 m/s, compute \(p = 5 \times 4\).
4. For the 2 kg ball moving at 10 m/s, compute \(p = 2 \times 10\).
5. For the 1 kg ball moving at 20 m/s, compute \(p = 1 \times 20\). Compare all the calculated momenta to determine which is the greatest.