How Feynman proves momentum is conserved in this example?

In summary, Richard Feynman demonstrates the conservation of momentum through a thought experiment involving two colliding objects. He illustrates that the total momentum before the collision equals the total momentum after the collision, regardless of the individual changes in momentum of each object. By applying Newton's laws and analyzing the interaction, Feynman shows that momentum is conserved in isolated systems, reinforcing the fundamental principle of conservation in physics.
  • #1
PLAGUE
19
0
TL;DR Summary
Two masses moving with same but opposite velocity will stop dead if they collide.
Here is what Feynman says, "Suppose we have two equal masses, one moving with velocity v and the other standing still, and they collide and stick; what is going to happen? There is a mass 2m altogether when we are finished, drifting with an unknown velocity. What velocity? That is the problem. To find the answer, we make the assumption that if we ride along in a car, physics will look the same as if we are standing still. We start with the knowledge that two equal masses, moving in opposite directions with equal speeds v, will stop dead when they collide. Now suppose that while this happens, we are riding by in an automobile, at a velocity -v. Then what does it look like? Since we are riding along with one of the two masses which are coming together, that one appears to us to have zero velocity. The other mass, however, going the other way with velocity v, will appear to be coming toward us at a velocity 2v. Finally, the combined masses after collision will seem to be passing by with velocity v. We therefore conclude that an object with velocity 2v, hitting an equal one at rest, will end up with velocity v, or what is mathematically exactly the same, an object with velocity v hitting and sticking to one at rest will produce an object moving with velocity v/2. "

Feynman said, "two equal masses, moving in opposite directions with equal speeds, will stop dead when they collide." If so, then the car we are riding, moving with velocity -v, and the other mass, moving with velocity v, collide, they must stop dead as their masses are same. Then why do they keep moving with half of the velocity?

https://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/I_10.html
 
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  • #2
PLAGUE said:
TL;DR Summary: Two masses moving with same but opposite velocity will stop dead if they collide.

If so, then the car we are riding, moving with velocity -v, and the other mass, moving with velocity v
That's not what Feynman said about what we see when we ride in the car moving with velocity -v.

Feynman said according to your post ( I highlighted in red the discrepancy)
PLAGUE said:
Then what does it look like? Since we are riding along with one of the two masses which are coming together, that one appears to us to have zero velocity. The other mass, however, going the other way with velocity v, will appear to be coming toward us at a velocity 2v.
 
  • #3
He is doing a transformation of the coordinates. Let ##v_1\big\rvert_{t<0}## be the velocity of object 1 before the collision, ##v_2\big\rvert_{t>0}## be the velocity of object 2 after the collision, etc. Then, in the reference frame of the center of mass we have $$V_1\Big\rvert_{t<0}=V$$$$V_2\Big\rvert_{t<0}=-V$$$$V_1\Big\rvert_{t>0}=0$$$$V_2\Big\rvert_{t>0}=0$$ where the capital letters indicate quantities in the center of mass frame.

Now, if we have another frame where the center of mass is moving at ##u##, then a simple Galilean transform gives us the velocities $$v_1\Big\rvert_{t<0}=u+V_1\Big\rvert_{t<0}=u+V$$$$v_2\Big\rvert_{t<0}=u+V_2\Big\rvert_{t<0}=u-V$$$$v_1\Big\rvert_{t>0}=u+V_1\Big\rvert_{t>0}=u$$$$v_2\Big\rvert_{t>0}=u+V_2\Big\rvert_{t>0}=u$$

So, we simply apply this formula to the problem. We have before the collision that $$v_1\Big\rvert_{t<0}=u+V_1\Big\rvert_{t<0}=u+V=v$$$$v_2\Big\rvert_{t<0}=u+V_2\Big\rvert_{t<0}=u-V=0$$So we have two equations in ##u## and ##V## which we solve to get ##V=v/2## and ##u=v/2##. Then we simply plug those into the after the collision equations to obtain$$v_1\Big\rvert_{t>0}=u+V_1\Big\rvert_{t>0}=u=v/2$$$$v_2\Big\rvert_{t>0}=u+V_2\Big\rvert_{t>0}=u=v/2$$

This is what he is doing in great detail. He just glossed over the math, but this is the concept he is trying to convey.
 

FAQ: How Feynman proves momentum is conserved in this example?

How does Feynman start his proof of momentum conservation?

Feynman typically starts by considering a closed system with no external forces acting on it. He uses the principles of Newtonian mechanics and the symmetry of space to show that the total momentum of the system remains constant over time.

What role do Newton's Laws play in Feynman's proof of momentum conservation?

Newton's Third Law, which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, is crucial for Feynman's proof. It ensures that the forces between interacting particles are equal and opposite, leading to the conservation of momentum within the system.

How does Feynman use symmetry in space to prove momentum conservation?

Feynman argues that the laws of physics are the same everywhere in space, which implies that the physical properties of a system should not change if the system is shifted in space. This spatial symmetry leads to the conservation of linear momentum.

Does Feynman's proof require any assumptions about the nature of the forces between particles?

Yes, Feynman's proof assumes that the forces between particles are central forces, meaning they act along the line connecting the centers of the particles. This assumption simplifies the mathematics and helps in demonstrating that the internal forces cancel out, preserving the total momentum of the system.

Can Feynman's method of proving momentum conservation be applied to relativistic systems?

While Feynman's method is rooted in classical mechanics, the principle of momentum conservation is also valid in relativistic systems. However, the proof in the context of special relativity involves the four-momentum and requires considerations of spacetime symmetry rather than just spatial symmetry.

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