IMPULSE – MOMENTUM

Impact: A collision of two bodies in which the active and reactive forces are relatively large,
and act in a very short period of time is called impact.
Line of impact: The common normal to the surfaces in contact during impact is called the
line of impact.
Direct impact: If the velocities of the two bodies are directed along the line of impact, it is
referred as direct impact.
Oblique impact: If the velocity of one or both bodies is not directed along the line of impact,
then the impact is referred as oblique impact.

Central impact: If mass centres of two colliding bodies are located in line of impact, the impact
is called central impact.
Eccentric impact: If mass centres are not located on the line of impact, then it is referred as
eccentric impact.

Momentum: It is measured by the product of mass of the body and its velocity.
Momentum = mass x velocity
M = mu
Impulse: The impulse of a force in a given time is equal to the product of the force and the
time during which it acts. Then, impulse is Oven by F . t = m(v- u)
Thus impulse is equal to the change in the momentum during given time interval.
Impulsive force: If the magnitude of the force is very high and it acts for small interval of time,
then this force is called impulsive force

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM: The law of conservation of momentum states that

the sum of the momentum of two masses before impact is equal to the sum of the momentum
after impact.
Consider two masses m1 and m2 moving with initial velocities u1 and u2 respectively before
impact; let v1 and v2 be the velocities respectively after impact then,
𝒎𝟏 𝒖𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐 𝒖𝟐 = 𝒎𝟏 𝒗𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐 𝒗𝟐
Similarly, if m1 and m2 be the masses of two bodies and u1 and u2 respective velocities before
impact Let v be the common velocity (i.e. both the masses move together) of two masses after
impact.
Then from the law of momentum.

𝒎𝟏 𝒖𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐 𝒖𝟐 = (𝒎𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐 )𝒗
COEFFICIENT OF RESTITUTION: Due to impact two bodies will deform. and the duration of
time from the first contact to the maximum deformation is called period of deformation. At
this stage, both bodies will move with same velocity (u). This stage is followed by recovery or
regain of the shape due to elasticity. This process of regaining shape is called restitution, and
the duration to regain the shape is called period of restitution. At the end of period of
restitution, the two bodies separate and move with differed velocities except in case of plastic
impact.
The coefficient of restitution for two bodies moving and collide each other is defined as the ratio
of velocity of separation to their velocity of approach.
𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
𝐜𝐨𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 =
𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡
𝒗𝟐 − 𝒗𝟏
𝒆=
𝒖𝟏 − 𝒖𝟐

For perfectly elastic bodies (elastic collision)

 e = 1: Thus, when two perfectly elastic bodies collide, the velocity of separation is equal
to the velocity of approach the total energy is conserved.
Thus, K.E. before impact = K.E after impact
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
𝒎𝟏 𝒖𝟏 𝟐 + 𝒎𝟐 𝒖𝟐 𝟐 = 𝒎𝟏 𝒗𝟏 𝟐 + 𝒎𝟐 𝒗𝟐 𝟐
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐 𝟐

and total momentum is also conserved. Thus, momentum before impact = momentum
after impact
𝒎𝟏 𝒖𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐 𝒖𝟐 = 𝒎𝟏 𝒗𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐 𝒗𝟐
For perfectly plastic bodies (inelastic collision)
 e = 0 ;( v1 = v2 = v) both bodies stick together after impact and move with common
velocity.
Momentum before impact = Momentum after impact
𝒎𝟏 𝒖𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐 𝒖𝟐 = (𝒎𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐 )𝒗
For partially elastic bodies:
  e = 0.2 to just less than 1; there will be loss of energy. Total momentum is conservered
but, the velocity of approach is not equal to velocity of separation.
Note: If two bodies are moving in opposite directions. The velocity approach or separation is
the sum of their velocities.
RECOIL OF GUN: When a bullet is fired, it leaves the gun with a certain velocity and gun
moves backward. The backward motion of gun is called recoil.
If m and M are the masses of bullet and gun, Let 'u' be the velocity of bullet leaving the gun
and v the velocity of recoil of the gun after firing (i.e., after impact), before firing both the bullet
and gun are at rest.
Therefore, sum of the initial momentum is zero.
Momentum of bullet after firing = mu
Momentum of gun after firing = Mv
Sum of the momentum after firing (i.e., impact) = mu - Mv
(- sign indicates that the gun moves in the opposite direction
to that of bullet)
𝟎 = 𝒎𝒖 − 𝑴𝒗
𝒎𝒖
𝒗=
𝑴
IMPULSE - MOMENTUM EQUATION: Whenever the force varies with time, the impulse -
momentum equation can he expressed as 𝑭 × 𝒕 = 𝒎(𝒗𝟐 − 𝒗𝟏 ) where t = time of
impact, the impulse momentum equation is convenient to solve the problems involving force,
time and velocity.
OBLIQUE IMPACT: Magnitude and direction of velocities of two bodies A and B are shown in.

After impact their velocities are va and vb and making an angle of (Ø1) and (Ø2) respectively.

From conservation of momentum, 𝒎𝒂 𝒖𝒂𝒙 + 𝒎𝒃 𝒖𝒃𝒙 = 𝒎𝒂 𝒗𝒂𝒙 + 𝒎𝒃 𝒗𝒃𝒙

vbx − vax
coefficient of restitution =
uax − ubx

Note: The velocities perpendicular to line of impact do not change

𝒖𝒂𝒚 = 𝒗𝒂𝒚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝒖𝒃𝒚 = 𝒗𝒃𝒚

(or)

𝑢𝑎 sin 𝜃1 = 𝑣𝑎 sin ∅1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑏 sin 𝜃2 = 𝑣𝑏 sin ∅2