[xmirxtimex]

Two birds of prey hurtling after the same mouse collide in mid-air and grab each other with their talons. If each 250 g bird is flying at 30 m/s at a 60° angle to the ground, what is their total momentum, in (kg*m)/s, immediately after the collision?
a. 0
b. 6.5
c. 7.5
d. 13
e. 15


Similar question to above:

Two birds of prey hurtling after the same mouse collide in mid-air and grab each other with their talons. If each 250 g bird is flying at 30 m/s at a 60° angle to the ground, what is the horizontal component of their momentum, in , immediately after the collision?

a. 0
b. 6.1
c. 7.5
d. 13
e. 15

[Perito]

Separate the birds' speed and mass into horizontal and vertical components. The sum of the momentum components in the horizontal direction add to give the answer you seek.

[xmirxtimex]

For the total momentum, I got 0.

For the Horizontal, I got 7.5.

Are these correct? Or am I way off?

[Perito]

The problem doesn't state it, but they do collide so I assume they are flying toward each other. I'm assuming that each makes a 60 degree angle with the ground, but the angles face each other.

Momentum = MV = 0.25 Kg x 30 m/sec = 7.5 kg m/sec

Horizontal component of momentum = 7.5 cos (60) = 3.75 Kg m/sec

3.75 + 3.75 = 7.5 Kg m/sec

That's the answer for the Horizontal and so yours looks like that's correct. Note that the problem is equivalent to a 500 g bird flying at double the speed into an immovable wall.

Since the birds are now at rest (figuratively and literally speaking ;) ) , their momentum is zero, as you stated.

[xmirxtimex]

Thank you so much

[Unknown008]

I'd like to point out that in the first question, if the birds are flying towards each other, forming a 'V' figure, the vertical component of the total momentum won't be zero...

The horizontal however would have course be zero.