Momentum Multiple Choice

1. The SI unit of momentum is which of the following?

a)
b)
c)
d)

Nm
N/s
Ns
N/m

= change of momentum = Force * time = impulse

2. What is the momentum of a 2000 kg truck traveling at 20 m/s?

a)
b)
c)
d)

1.0X102 kgm/s
2.0X104 kgm/s
4.0X104 kgm/s = 2000kg 20 m/s = mv = p
4.0X105 kgm/s

3. if you pitch a baseball with twice the kinetic energy you gave it in the previous pitch,
the magnitude of its momentum is
a)
b)
c)
d)

the same.
1.41 times as much.
doubled.
4 times as much.

K=1/2 mv2 = m (1.41m/s)2 = 2x

p= mv = m(1.41m/s) = 1.41 x

4. If the momentum of an object is doubled, by what factor will its kinetic energy change?
a)
b)
c)
d)

2
4
1/2
1/4

p=mv = m2v

k = mv2

k= m(2v)2

=4

5. 060-kg tennis ball, initially moving at a speed of 12 m/s, is struck by a racket causing it
to rebound in the opposite direction at a speed of 18 m/s. What is the change in
momentum of the ball?
a)
b)
c)
d)

0.36 kgm/s
=
0.72 kgm/s
1.1 kgm/s
1.8 kgm/s = p= mv mvo

m(v-vo) = .060 kg ( -18m/s 12 m/s)

6. A 100-kg football linebacker moving at 2.0 m/s tackles head-on an 80-kg halfback
running 3.0 m/s. Neglecting the effects due to digging in of cleats,
a)
b)

c)
d)

the linebacker will drive the halfback backward.

the halfback will drive the linebacker backward. 80kg*3 m/s > 100kg
*2 m/s
neither player will drive the other backward.
this is a simple example of an elastic collision.

7. A small car meshes with a large truck in a head-on collision. Which of the following
statements concerning the magnitude of the average collision force is correct?
a)
b)
c)
d)

The truck experiences the greater average force.

The small car experiences the greater average force.
The small car and the truck experience the same average force.
It is impossible to tell since the masses and velocities are not given.

8. A 50-kg pitching machine (excluding the baseball) is placed on a frozen pond. The
machine fires a 0.40-kg baseball with a speed of 35 m/s in the horizontal friction. What
is the recoil speed of the pitching machine? (Assume negligible friction.)
a)
b)
c)
d)

0.14 m/s
0.28 m/s
0.70 m/s
4.4X103 m/s

0 = .40 kg (35 m/s) + 50 kg ( x )

9. Two objects collide and stick together. Linear momentum

a)
b)
c)
d)

is definitely conserved.
is definitely not conserved.
is conserved only if the collision is elastic.
is conserved only if the environment is frictionless.

10. A 3.0-kg object moves to the right at 4.0 m/s. It collides head-on with a 6.0-kg object
moving to the left at 2.0 m/s. Which statement is correct?
a)
b)

c)
d)

The total momentum both before and after the collision is 24 kgm/s.
The total momentum before the collison is 24 kgm/s, and after the collision is
0 kgm/s.
The total momentum both before and after the collision is zero.
None of the above is true.

11. A bullet moving at 300 m/s is fired into a 1.00-kg block. The bullet emerges (the bullet
does not embedded in the block) with half of its original speed. What is the velocity of
the block right after the collision? You need to know the mass of the bullet
a)
b)
c)
d)

1.50 m/s
2.97 m/s
3.00 m/s
273 m/s

mb 300 = mb 150 m/s + 1 kg vow

12. A small object collides with a large object and sticks. Which object experiences the
larger magnitude of momentum change?
a)
b)
c)
d)

the large object

the small object
Both objects experience the same magnitude of momentum change.
Cannot be determined from the information given.

13. Two astronauts, of masses 60 kg and 80 kg, are initially at rest in outer space. They
push each other apart. What is their separation after the lighter astronaut has moved
12 m?
a)
b)
c)

d)

15 m
18 m
21 m
60kg ( 12m/ t) = 80 kg (d/t)
60 kg (12 m) = 80 kg
(d )
d=9m
24 m
Separation = 12 m + 9 m = 21m

14. When a cannon fires a cannonball, the cannon will recoil backward because the
a)
b)

energy of the cannonball and cannon is conserved.

momentum of the cannonball and cannon is conserved.

c)
d)

energy of the cannon is greater than the energy of the cannonball.

momentum of the cannon is greater than the energy of the cannonball.

15. A 1000-kg car traveling at 25 m/s runs into the rear of a stopped car that has a mass of
1500 kg and they stick together. What is the speed of the cars after the collision?
a)
b)
c)
d)

5.0 m/s
10 m/s
15 m/s
20 m/s

1000kg (25m/s) 10 m/s =

(1000kg + 1500kg)

16. A rubber ball and a lump of putty have equal mass. They are thrown with equal speed
against a wall. The ball bounces back with nearly the same speed with which it hit.
The putty sticks to the wall. Which objects experiences the greater momentum
change?
the ball
p= m(v-vo) p =m ( - vo - vo) = - 2 mvo ball
a)
the putty
p= m(v-vo) p =m ( 0 - vo) = - 1 mvo
b)
putty
Both experience the same momentum change.
c)
Cannot be determined from the information given.
d)
17. A constant 6.0-N net force acts for 4.0 s on a 12 kg object. What is the object's change
of velocity?
a)

b)

c)

d)

2.0 m/s
Ns = mv
12 m/s
Ns=2.0m/s
18 m/s
12kg
288 m/s

p = F t

p = 6 N ( 4 s ) = 24 Ns

24
24

18. The area under the curve on a Force versus time (F vs. t) graph represents
a)
b)
c)
d)

impulse.
momentum.
work.
kinetic energy.

19. A Ping-Pong ball moving east at a speed of 4 m/s, collides with a stationary bowling
ball. The Ping-Pong ball bounces back to the west, and the bowling ball moves very
slowly to the east. Which object experiences the greater magnitude impulse during
the collision?
a)

b)
c)
d)

Neither; both experienced the same magnitude impulse.-NEWTONS

THIRD LAW
the Ping-Pong ball
the bowling ball
It's impossible to tell since the velocities after the collision are unknown.

20. In an elastic collision, if the momentum is conserved, then which of the following
statements is true about kinetic energy?
a)
b)
c)
d)

kinetic energy is also conserved.

kinetic energy is gained.
kinetic energy is lost.
none of the above.

21. When is kinetic energy conserved?

a)
b)
c)
d)

in elastic collisions
in inelastic collisions
in any collison in which the objects do not stick together
in all collisions

22. A rubber ball with a speed of 5.0 m/s collides head-on elastically with an identical ball
at rest. What is the speed of the initially stopped ball after the collision?
a)
b)
c)
d)

zero
1.0 m/s
2.5 m/s
5.0 m/s

1st ball with stop

23. A 50 gram moving +10 m/s collides head-on with a stationary ball of mass 100 g.
The collision is elastic. What is the speed of each ball immediately after the collision?
a)
b)
c)
d)

-3.3 m/s and +6.7 m/s

+3.3 m/s and -6.7 m/s
-6.7 m/s and +3.3 m/s
+6.7 m/s and -3.3 m/s

.050kg (10m/s) = .5 kg m/s = po

m/s) = .5kg m/s

p = .050kg(-6.7m/s) + .100Kg (3.3

24. 3.0-kg object moves to the right with a speed of 4.0 m/s. It collides in a perfectly
elastic collision with a 6.0-kg object moving to the left at 2.0 m/s. What is the total
kinetic energy after the collision?
a)
b)
c)
d)

72 J
36 J
24 J
0J

3kg (4m/s)2 + 6 kg ( 2.0 m/s)2 = 36 J

25. A freight car moves along a frictionless level railroad track at constant speed. The car
is open on top. A large load of coal is suddenly dumped into the car. What happens to
the velocity of the car?
a)
b)
c)
d)

It increases.
It remains the same.
It decreases.
p = mv If m goes up than v will decrease
Cannot be determined from the information given.

CollegePrepMomentumPretestp=mvK.E.=mv2Ft=p

26. Aprojectilesspeedandmassaredoubled.Itsmomentumwillthenbe
a)
b)

doubled
unchanged

c)
d)
e)

quadrupled
halved
quartered

p=2m2v=4mv
mvmv

27. Aprojectilesspeedandmassaredoubled.Itskineticenergywillthen
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

increaseby2x
remainunchanged
increaseby4x
increaseby6x
increaseby8x

K.E=(2m)(2v)

2=8x
(m)(v)2

28. Anobjectinmotionmusthave

I.Acceleration
mayhave
Ionly
a)
IIonly
b)
IandII
c)
IandIII
d)
I,IIandIII
e)

II.Momentum
willhave

III.PotentialEnergy
maydevelop

29. Anexplosionoccursinspace.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

thekineticenergyofallofthefragmentsremainsconstant
thetotalkineticenergyofthefragmentsdecrease
thetotalmomentumofallthefragmentsremainsconstant
thetotalmomentumofthefragmentsdecrease
noneoftheabove

30. Whilefloatingmotionlesslyinaspacestationa50kgwomenpushesa100kg

man.Hesailsawayat1.0m/sandshe
0kgm/s=100kg(1.0m/s)+50(2.0m/s)
a)remainsmotionless
b)movesintheoppositedirectionasthemanat2.0m/s
c)movesintheoppositedirectionasthemanat1.0m/s
d)movesinthesamedirectionasthemanat2.0m/s
e)movesinthesamedirectionasthemanat1.0m/s

31. Whilefloatingmotionlesslyinaspacestationa50kgwomenpushesa100kg

man.Hesailsawayat1.0m/s.Whichofthefollowingistrue?Newtonsthird
law
a)Theforcethewomenputsonthemanisgreaterthantheforcethemanputsonthe
woman
b)Theforcethewomenputsonthemanislessthantheforcethemanputsonthe
woman
c)Theforcethewomenputsonthemanisequaltotheforcethemanputsonthe
woman
d)Theforcethewomenputsonthemandependsonthecenterofmassofthewoman
andtheman

32. Whilefloatingmotionlesslyinaspacestationa50kgwomenpushesa100kg

man.Hesailsawayat1.0m/s.Whichofthefollowingistrue?

a)Thechangeinmomentumofthewomenisgreaterthanthemanschangein
momentum
b)Thechangeinmomentumofthewomenislessthanthemanschangein
momentum
c)Thechangeinmomentumofthewomenisequaltothemanschangein
momentum
d)Thechangeinmomentumofthewomeniszerobecausethemomentumis
transferredtotheman
Ifthechangeinmomentumisthesamethentheimpulsewillalsobethesame
33. Atankcarcoastingfrictionlesslyhorizontallyalongtherailshasaleakinits

bottomanddribblesseveralthousandgallonsofwaterontotheroadbed.Inthe
processit
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

speedsup
slowsdown
remainsatthesamespeed
losesmomentum
gainsmomentum

34. Anopenrailroadcarfilledwithcoaliscoastingfrictionlessly.Apersononboard

startsthrowingthecoalhorizontallybackwardstraightoffthecar,onechunkata
time.
Thecar

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

speedsup
slowsdown
travelsataconstantspeed
speedsupandthenslowsdown
speedsuporslowsdowndependingonthehorizontalspeedofthecoal

35. Acanofwhippedcreamfloatinginspacedevelopsaholeinthebottomfrom

whichitsquirtsbackwardamessofgasandcreamataconstantspeedwith
respecttothecan.Thecanwill

accelerateforward(assumingthegasandcreamareescaping)
a)
moveforwardataconstantspeed
b)
remainatrest
c)
firstspeedupandthenslowdownwhenthegasrunsout
d)
noneoftheabove
e)

36. Inanelasticcollisioninaclosedsystem

1. Kineticenergyisconserved
2. Linearmomentumisconserved
3. Kineticenergyislost
a)Ionly

b)IIonly

c)IIIonly

d)IandII

e)IIandIII

37. A

100-kg pitching machine (excluding the baseball) is placed on

a frozen pond. The machine fires a 0.40-kg baseball with a
speed of 35 m/s in the horizontal friction. What is the recoil
speed of the pitching machine? (Assume negligible friction.)
a)
b)
c)
d)

0.14 m/s
0.28 m/s
0.70 m/s
4.4X103 m/s

Showyourworktoreceivecreditforthisproblem
po=p
0=mbvb+mpvp
0kgm/s=.40kg(35m/s)+(100kg)(v)

v=.14m/svelocitythereforeaspeedof.14m/s
38. A

3.0-kg object moves to the right at 4.0 m/s. It collides head-on

with a 6.0-kg object moving at - 4.0 m/s. Which statement is
correct?
a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

The total momentum both before and after the collision is

12 kgm/s.
The total momentum both before and after the collision is
-12 kgm/s.
The total momentum before the collison is +12 kgm/s,
and after the collision is 0 kgm/s.
The total momentum before the collison is -12 kgm/s, and
after the collision is 0 kgm/s.
The total momentum both before and after the collision is
zero.

Show your work to receive credit for this problem

po=m1v1+m2v2
3.0kg(4.0m/s)+6.0kg(4.0m/s)=12kgm/s
39. A

1000-kg car traveling at 50 m/s runs into the rear of a stopped

car that has a mass of 1500 kg and they stick together. What is
the speed of the cars after the collision?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

5.0 m/s
10 m/s
15 m/s
20 m/s
25 m/s

Show your work in order to receive credit for this problem

po=p
mc voc = ( mc + mc2 ) v12
mc voc = v12 =
( mc + mc2 )

1000 kg ( 50 m/s) = 20 m/s

(1000 kg + 1500 kg)

40. A

50 kg moving +20 m/s collides head-on with a stationary ball

of mass 100 kg. The collision is elastic. What is the speed of
each ball immediately after the collision?

a)
b)
c)
d)

+6.7 m/s and -13.47 m/s

-6.7 m/s and +13.47 m/s
-6.7 m/s and +3.3 m/s
+6.7 m/s and -3.3 m/s

Show your work in order to receive credit for this problem

Light onto heavy will cause the light to reverse direction
and the heavy to move forward
Thereforeaanddarenotpossible
50 kg ( 20 m/s ) = 50 kg ( v1) +

100 kg ( v2)

50 kg ( 20 m/s ) = 50 kg ( -6.7 m/s ) + 100 kg ( 13.47

m/s )
1000Goodson=350Goodson +1350Goodson

50 kg ( 20 m/s ) = 50 kg ( -6.7 m/s ) +

100 kg ( 3.3 m/s )

41. Whatistheimpulseofthefollowingcollision?Showyourwork.

Impulse=Area=bh=(.5s.1s)(10N)=2Ns

42. Whatistheimpulseofthefollowingcollision?Showyourwork.

Impulse=Area=bh=(.9s.1s)(5.0N)=2Ns

43.Whichoftheabovecollisionsinvolvesalargeraverageforceandwhy?
ShorterTimelargerforce
Largertimesmallerforce
F=
p=2Ns=5N
F=
p=2Ns=2.5N
t(.5.1s)
(.9s.1s)
43. Usingaballisticpendulumwhatmustbeknowninordertodeterminethe

originalvelocity
ofthependulum.

1)massofbullet
2)massofpendulum
3)changeinheightofpendulum/ballsystem
vob=(mb+mp)2gh
mb
45. Whatisconservedwhenapaintballcollideswiththependulum
mbvob=(mb+mp)vbh

a.
b.
c.
d.

vob=(mb+mp)vbh
mb
themomentumoftheballandthependulum
thekineticenergyoftheballandpendulum
themomentumandkineticenergyoftheballandpendulum
neitherthemomentumorkineticenergyoftheballandpendulum

46. Whatisconservedwhenapaintballandpendulumswingtoamaximumheight.
a.
b.
c.
d.

themomentumoftheballandthependulum
theenergyoftheballandpendulum
themomentumandenergyoftheballandpendulum
neitherthemomentumorenergyoftheballandpendulum

(mb+mp)vbp2=(mb+mp)gh
vbp2=gh
vbp2=2gh
vbp=2gh

vob=(mb+mp)2gh
mb