MOMENTUM

Momentum is the product of a body’s mass and velocity. Mathematically, p = mv.

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM (LOCOM)

The law of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum before collision is equal to the total
momentum after collision provided that no external forces act on the bodies.

✴ The law of conservation of momentum applies to explosions as well as collisions.

Law of conservation of momentum in explosions

Before a handgun is fired, the total momentum of the gun and the bullet is zero. According to the law of
conservation of momentum, the total momentum of the gun and the bullet after the shot is fired must also be
zero. This is why the gun and the bullet move in opposite directions to conserve momentum. This is illustrated
in the diagram below:

The gun and the bullet have the same magnitude of momentum after the shot is fired. Since they move in
opposite directions, momentum being a vector quantity, their individual momenta cancel each other out
making the total momentum zero to conserve momentum.

Even though the gun and bullet both have the same magnitude of momenta, the recoil velocity of the gun is
much smaller than the velocity of the bullet. This is because the mass of the gun is much larger than the
bullet.

MOMENTUM IN COLLISIONS

Collisions can be of two types; (1) Elastic collisions & (2) Inelastic collisions

• In an elastic collision, kinetic energy is conserved. This means that the total kinetic energy before the
collision is equal to the total kinetic energy after the collision.


• In an inelastic collision, the kinetic energy is not conserved. This means that the total kinetic energy before
the collision is not equal to the total kinetic energy after the collision. This is because some of the kinetic
energy is transferred to other forms of energy such as heat and sound.

✴ Irrespective of the types of collision, that is whether the collision is elastic or inelastic, momentum is always
conserved.

In real life, all collisions are inelastic. The closest phenomenon to an elastic collision is the collision between
gas molecules.

The second most relevant phenomenon to an elastic collision is the collision between snooker balls. However,
the collision is not perfectly elastic because when one ball hits the other, a sound can be heard. This means
that some of the kinetic energy is transferred to sound energy.

FORCES AND MOMENTUM

• The greater the applied force on a body, the greater will be its change in momentum.

• Conversely, the greater the momentum of a body, the greater will be the force required to change its
momentum.

MATHEMATICAL INTERPRETATION

Change in/of momentum = mv − mu

mv − mu
Rate of change in/of momentum =

( t )
v−u
=m

= m a = Force

v−u mv − mu
Since, a = , → Force =

t t

MATHEMATICAL EXAMPLE