Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I am needing help with my classes hypothesis.

We are going to increase the mass of a car by adding weight on top of the car. We will then roll the car down a fixed ramp and measure how far it will travel once it leaves the ramp.

Is "momentum" the correct term we should use or should we use distance?

Hi roxannemckenzie,

It depends on what you're referring to. If you're referring to how far it travels after leaving the ramp, that would be distance. If you're trying to explain why a heavier car may/may not move farther, momentum is the word you're looking for. Have fun with the experiment!

-IlI