Question

Question 17
Akhtar, Kiran and Rahul were riding in a motorocar that was moving with a high velocity on an expressway when an insect hit the windshield and got stuck on the windscreen. Akhtar and Kiran started pondering over the situation. Kiran suggested that the insect suffered a greater change in momentum as compared to the change in momentum of the motorcar (because the change in the velocity of the insect was much more than that of the motorcar). Akhtar said that since the motorcar was moving with a larger velocity, it exerted a larger force on the insect. And as a result the insect died. Rahul while putting an entirely new explanation said that both the motorcar and the insect experienced the same force and a change in their momentum. Comment on these suggestions.

Answer 1

The suggestion made by Kiran that the insect suffered a greater change in momentum as compared to the change in momentum of the motor car is wrong.
The suggestion made by Akhtar that the motor car exerted a larger force on the insect because of a large velocity of the motor car is also wrong. The explanation put forward by Rahul is correct. Upon collision of insect with the motor car, both experiences the same force as action and reaction are always equal and opposite. Further, changes in their momenta are also the same. Only the signs of changes in a moment are opposite, i.e., changes in momenta of the two occur in opposite directions, though the magnitude of change in momentum of each is the same.