Conservation of Momentum in Explosions

In this topic you will learn about explosions and the conservation of momentum that occurs when two objects start at rest and then a force pushes them apart. Listen to this audio clip portraying a large blast with debris from Discovery Education™ streaming. As you listen to the audio file, make a quick sketch of what you think the blast would look like as it is occuring. Consider the following questions:

• What items do you think are involved in the explosion?
• What would the debris look like?
• How far would the debris travel due to the blast?