How does the conservation of momentum apply to collisions?

The conservation of momentum is a fundamental principle in physics that states that in an isolated system—where no external forces are acting—the total momentum of the system remains constant before and after a collision. This means that if two or more objects collide, the sum of their momenta prior to the collision will be equal to the sum of their momenta after the collision.

In an isolated system, regardless of the type of collision (elastic or inelastic), total momentum is conserved. This principle applies universally, meaning that it is not contingent on the nature of the collision itself—whatever momentum is 'lost' or 'gained' by one object is compensated for by the other(s). This consistency in momentum conservation is what makes it a powerful tool in analyzing collisions in physics.

Understanding this principle lays the foundation for predicting outcomes in various scenarios involving collisions, such as determining the final velocities of colliding objects when their masses and initial velocities are known.