zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

Kinetic energy, potential energy, heat, electrical energy, magnetic energy all may be created or destroyed. Momentum may NOT. It must be conserved, and is under all circumstances. While the momentum of the watch may change because some of it is transferred to the tile floor (and then parially back), the total momentum of the "system" stays CONSTANT. The watch bounces back up a few inches, and the tile floor has to move downward a few angstroms as a result of the momentum it has absorbed from the watch. Referring to a collision in terms of speed, acceleration, or kinetic energy transfer are all valid ways of quantifying the event. Using momentum is sort of like using the word "ain't" in a sentence. You can do it, but you won't find the word in the dictionary, because its usage is not considered proper according to some of the rules that apply.

P.S. In the real world, my Omega sits on a wooden night table 24" above a carpeted floor, and I don't put it on until AFTER I have my shower in the morning. After that, it doesn't come off my wrist for ANY reason, including any exposure to water in pools, showers, health clubs, etc. The probability that my watch will fall onto a tile floor by itself is 0%, because I make sure that I NEVER take it on or off in such a potentially high-G environment.