Question

1. when calculating the final velocity of an object after an explosion, what does it mean if the final velocity is negative?

the object was not at rest before the explosion.
the explosion did not obey the law of conservation of momentum.
the object is moving forward after the explosion.
the object is moving backward after the explosion.

Explanation:

In physics, velocity is a vector quantity, where negative values indicate direction opposite to the predefined positive reference direction. A negative final velocity here means the object moves in the direction labeled as "backward" relative to the chosen coordinate system. The other options are incorrect: initial rest status doesn't determine velocity sign, explosions follow conservation of momentum, and positive velocity would mean forward motion.

Answer:

D. The object is moving backward after the explosion.