The unit of momentum is kgm s- 1 , but this can also be expressed as N s.

N s = kgms- 1
Be careful when writing the unit for
Because II stands for velocity and not speed in this definition, momentum is newton seconds to leave a gap
a vector. between N and s, otherwise it looks a
bit like newtons (plural). Similarly, when
Examples writing metres/second, leave a gap to
avoid confusion with milliseconds.
1 How big is the momentum of a child of mass 25kg walking at 0.38ms-1?
2 What is the momentum of a Eurostar train of mass 650 tonnes moving
due South at a speed of 60 m s-1?

Answers
1 Child's momentum = 25kg x 0.38ms-1 = 9.5kgms-1
2 Eurostar's momentum is 650 x 103 kg x 60ms-1 = 3.9 x 107 kgms-11
due South.

Test yourself
1 What is the momentum of a body? Be careful to spot the difference
2 Is momentum a scalar or a vector quantity? between a question thtat asks for
the size or magnitude of a body's
3 Write down the unit of momentum.
momentum and one that asks for its
4 Calculate the momentum of a 640g stone thrown with a velocity
(vector) magnitude and direction.
of 25ms-1 •
5 Estimate the momentum of a charging rhinoceros.

I 4.2 Collisions
The reason momentum is important is that it is conserved. In physics it is
quantities like energy or charge or momentum, which are conser ved,
that help enormously in understanding how the world around us behaves.
A study of the histor y of science supports this claim and we will see later,
in the Year 2 Student's book, that it can even lead scientists to suggest the
existence of undiscovered elementary particles.

Activity 4.1

A simple collision between trolleys on a to computer

friction-compensated slope ____..and monitor
Trolley A of mass mA is given a push so that, after its release, its
interrupter card cuts through a light beam with the trolley moving
at a constant velocity down the friction-compensated slope. The
time the light beam is interrupted is recorded electronically and
the (constant) velocity, u, of trolley A is calculated.

Trolley A has a cork attached with a pin sticking out of it that

'couples' to a cork attached to trolley B of mass m8 when A hits
B. The two now move off together at a constant velocity, v, down
the slope; a velocity that is calculated as the interrupter card on friction-compensated runway
trolley A passes through the second light beam. Figure 4.2

4 .2 Colli si ons •