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A system for which the net external force is zero is described as:
AAn isolated system
BA closed circuit
CAn open boundary
DA rigid body
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. An isolated system
1. Momentum conservation needs a condition on the outside world.
2. An isolated system is defined to be one for which the net external force is zero.
3. Seeing why momentum is conserved for such a system follows from Newton's second law in terms of momentum.
4. With no net external force there is no change in the system's total momentum.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics for AP(R) Courses 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 8 'Linear Momentum and Collisions', sections 8.1-8.7_
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