A shell in its flight, explodes into four unequal parts. Which of the following is conserved?

Options

A. Momentum
B. Kinetic energy
C. Potential energy
D. Gravitational energy

Answer

To solve the question regarding the conservation laws during the explosion of a shell into four unequal parts, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Scenario**:
- A shell is in flight and explodes into four unequal parts. Each part will have its own mass and velocity after the explosion.

2. **Identifying Conservation Laws**:
- In physics, certain quantities are conserved in isolated systems. The most relevant conservation law in this scenario is the conservation of momentum.

3. **Applying the Conservation of Momentum**:
- Before the explosion, the shell has a certain momentum, which is the product of its mass and velocity.
- When the shell explodes, the total momentum of the system (the shell and the fragments) must remain the same if no external forces act on it.

4. **Considering Other Forms of Energy**:
- During the explosion, energy is transformed. The explosion will release energy in the form of heat, sound, and light.
- Mechanical energy (kinetic + potential energy) is not conserved because some of it is converted into other forms of energy during the explosion.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the only quantity that remains conserved during the explosion of the shell is momentum.

### Final Answer:
- The quantity that is conserved when a shell in flight explodes into four unequal parts is **momentum**.