TUTORIAL 5:

CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM
Instructors: Kazumi Tolich and Sheh Lit Chang
 Momentum of objects in a collision:
Checkpoint 1
2

Experiment 1 is conducted with two gliders, A1 and B1,

on a level, frictionless track. The mass of glider B1 is
greater than that of glider A1 (i.e., mB1 > mA1).
Let system 1 consist of gliders A1 and B1.

1. Complete the momentum vector diagram below with the momenta of each glider and of system 1.
Momentum of glider A1 Momentum of glider B1 Momentum of system S1

Initial

Final

2. Is the magnitude of the final momentum of glider B1 greater than, less than, or equal to that of the system
S1 of both gliders?
 Momentum of objects in a collision:
Checkpoint 2
3

Two additional experiments are performed that are identical to experiment 1 with the
mass of the target glider is larger in each subsequent experiment (i.e., mB3 > mB2 > mB1).
The incoming gliders A1–A3 are identical and have the same initial velocity.
3. Complete the momentum vector diagrams below for Experiments 2 and 3.
Momentum of incoming glider Momentum of target glider Momentum of system
(A2 or A3) (B2 or B3) (S2 or S3)

Initial

Final
Expt. 2

Final
Expt. 3

4. Rank the final momenta of the target gliders in experiments 1–3, from smallest to largest.
 Momentum of objects in a collision:
Checkpoint 3
4

Experiments 4–100 are set up in the same pattern as the first three experiments. The mass of glider B100 is much
larger than the mass of glider A100.
In experiment 100, it is observed that the final speed of glider B100 is very nearly zero, and glider A100 moves to
the left with a final speed very nearly equal to its initial speed.
5. Is the magnitude of the final momentum of glider B100 greater than, less than, or equal to that of glider
A100?

Consider the following student discussion about the final momentum of glider B100:
Student 1: “The final speed of A100 is almost the same as its initial speed. This means that A kept almost all of the
momentum, giving B almost no momentum.”
Student 2: “Right. You can also see that the momentum of B100 has to be nearly zero because momentum is mass
times velocity. If B’s velocity is very small, then its momentum must also be very small.”
Student 3: “I disagree. From each experiment to the next, the mass of B goes up, while its final speed goes down.
Therefore, the final momentum of B most likely stays the same.”
6. With which student, if any, do you agree?
 Changes in momentum of multiple-object
systems: Discussion questions
5

Recall the collision between two gliders in experiment 1.

7. Does the momentum of each of the following change during the collision?
(1) glider A1 (2) glider B1 (3) system S1

8. Draw separate free-body diagrams for each glider and for system S1 for an instant during the collision.
 Changes in momentum of multiple-object
systems: Discussion questions
6

Experiment 1 (with friction)

Suppose instead that glider B1 were on such a rough Before collision After collision
section of track that it did not move during the collision,
vA i vB i = 0 vA f vB f = 0
and glider A1 moved to the left after the collision with a 1 1 1 1

final speed equal to its initial speed. A1 B1 A1 B1

(Glider A1 is still on a frictionless surface.)
9. Does the momentum of each of the following change during the collision?
(1) glider A1 (2) glider B1 (3) system S1

10. Draw separate free-body diagrams for each glider and for system S1 for an instant during the collision.
 Changes in momentum of multiple-object
systems: Checkpoint 4
7

11. Consider the free-body diagrams you drew for the previous two experiments (with and without friction).
Identify the object(s) and/or system(s) for which the momentum is not changing.

12. How can you tell from a free-body diagram whether the momentum of an object (or system) is not changing?
For example:
(1) Could external forces be exerted on an object or system when its momentum is not changing?

(2) Could the net force on an object or system be non-zero when its momentum is not changing?
 Changes in momentum of multiple-object
systems: Checkpoint 5
8

Consider the following student discussion about the experiment in which glider B1 is on a rough surface.
Student 1: “This experiment is just like experiment 100. The momentum of glider A1 in this experiment is the same
before and after the collision—only the direction of motion is different.”
Student 2: "Right. Glider B1 has no momentum afterwards in this experiment, just like glider B100. So the momentum
of the system is unchanged.”

13. With which student, if either, do you agree?