In a game of billiards, what happens to the cue ball's momentum?
What happens to the cue ball's momentum when it strikes the 8-ball in a game of billiards and immediately comes to rest?
Final Answer: When the cue ball strikes the 8-ball in a game of billiards and immediately comes to rest, the cue ball's momentum is transferred to the 8-ball. Explanation: In a game of billiards, when the cue ball strikes the 8-ball and comes to rest immediately, momentum is conserved in the system. Momentum is defined as the product of an object's mass and velocity. Initially, the cue ball possesses momentum due to its mass and velocity. When it strikes the 8-ball, this momentum is transferred to the 8-ball due to the principle of conservation of momentum. Mathematically, momentum (p) is given by the equation: p = mass (m) × velocity (v). Initially, the cue ball has a certain mass and velocity, hence a certain momentum. When it strikes the 8-ball, this momentum is transferred to the 8-ball, causing it to move while the cue ball comes to rest. The conservation of momentum principle states that the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision, provided no external forces act on the system. In this case, the total momentum of the system (cue ball and 8-ball) is conserved, but the distribution of momentum changes as the cue ball's momentum is transferred to the 8-ball, causing it to move. In summary, when the cue ball strikes the 8-ball and comes to rest, the cue ball's momentum is transferred to the 8-ball, causing it to move.