LINEAR MOMENTUM, IMPULSE

AND COLLISIONS 4
In a collision between two vehicles,
what determines which way the wreckage
moves after the collision? In playing
billiards, how do you aim the cue ball in
order to knock the target ball into the
packet? Why do we have to brace ourselves
when firing rifle bullets? And what basic
principles determine the likelihood of serious
injury?

The situations presented above are best

In a pool table, the white cue ball strikes the collection of
target balls that are initially at rest. These target balls
leave their position at various speeds and directions. The
collision between billiard balls can be elastic to a good
approximation. (Source: pediaa.com)
analyzed using the concepts of impulse and
momentum. These concepts lead to another
equally important principles in physics: The
Conservation of Momentum. This law is
valid even in situations in which the
Newton’s laws are inadequate. Conservation
of Momentum enables us to investigate
many situations without knowing much
about the forces involved during contact.
Among these are collision problems where
two bodies collide and exert very large
forces on each other for a short span of
time.

4.1 Momentum and Impulse

According to Newton’s 2nd Law, the net force ⃗ acting on a body of mass m is related
to the acceleration ⃗ of the moving body as given by ⃗ ⃗. Take note that the acceleration
⃗⃗
of the body can also be written as ⃗ . Then Newton’s 2nd Law can be re-written as

⃗
⃗ ⃗ ( ⃗)

Momentum, ⃗⃗ is defined as the tendency of the body to continue moving and the difficulty it
encounters in slowing down to rest. It is a product of the mass, m, of the body and its
velocity, ⃗. Mathematically, the momentum is expressed as:

⃗ ⃗ (4-1)

The momentum of the body has the same direction as the body’s velocity as shown in Figure
4-1. Since the momentum is a vector quantity, it can be expressed in terms of its
components:

where , and are the components of the velocity along x, y and z axes, respectively.

SI unit is kg∙m/s.
In terms of momentum, Newton’s 2 nd Law states that the net force acting on a body is equal
to the time rate of change of the momentum of the body, i.e.:

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 ⃗
⃗ (4-2)

This law is valid only in inertial frames of reference.

Equation 4-2 implies that a rapid change in
momentum requires a large net force, while a
gradual change in momentum requires less net
force.

If the body is acted by a constant net force ⃗

during a time interval , Equation 4-2 becomes:

⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗
⃗

Multiplying both sides of the equation by the time

interval :
Fig. 4.1: The velocity and momentum
vectors of a moving bodies. (Source:
⃗ ( ) ⃗ ⃗ www.masterfile.com)

Impulse, ⃗ of the net force is defined the impelling force that acts suddenly and changes the
motion of a body. It is the product of the net force acting on a body and the time interval. It is
a vector quantity and its direction is the same as the net force. Mathematically,

⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ( ) (4-3)
and
⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗ (4-4)

SI unit is N∙s.
Impulse-momentum theorem states: “The change in momentum of a body during a time
interval is equal to the impulse of the net force that acts on the body during that interval”.
The theorem is also valid even if the forces are not constant. To prove, integrate both sides of
Equation 4.2 over time between the limits of t1 and t2:

⃗
⃗
∫ ⃗ ∫ ∫ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗
⃗

The integral on the left side is the impulse of the net force during this interval. Thus, equation
4.4 holds true even when the net force varies with time.
Impulse and momentum are both vector quantities, so it can be expressed in component form.

( ) ( ) ( )

The body’s momentum is analogous to its kinetic energy but differs in physical significance.
The impulse-momentum theorem states that the change in the momentum of the body is due
to impulse, which depends on the time over which the net force acts. By contrast, the work-
energy theorem states that the change in the kinetic energy of the body is due to the total
work done on it, which depends on the distance over which the net force acts.
In terms of the magnitude of momentum of the body, the kinetic energy can be expressed as:

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 ( )
( ) or

Sample Problems

1. (a) What is the magnitude of the momentum of a 9,500 kg bus whose speed is 18.0 m/s?
(b) If a 2,200 kg SUV is to attain the same momentum as the bus, what must be the
speed of the SUV? (c) If the SUV is to attain the same kinetic energy as the bus, what
must be the speed of the SUV?

Solution

a) The magnitude of the momentum of the bus is

( )( )

b) For the SUV to attain the same momentum as the bus,

c) The kinetic energy of the bus is

( )( )

So, the speed of the SUV when its kinetic energy is equal to the kinetic energy of the
bus,

( )
√ √

2. A marble of 15 g moving 3.00 m/s to the right approaches a stationary stone. The average
force on the marble as it hits the stone is 5.00 N directed to the left at an angle of 39.0°
below the horizontal. If the stone and the marble were in contact for 0.020 s, (a) find the
components of the impulse of the net force on the marble. (b) What is the magnitude and
direction of the velocity of the marble after the impact?

Solution

a) The direction of impulse is the same as the direction of the average force. Since the
direction of the force is directed to the left and below the horizontal, then the average
force and impulse has negative components on both x and y axis.
( )( )
( )( )

b) Since the motion before impact is only on the x-axis, and . Then
the components of the final velocity can be obtained by:

( )

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 The magnitude of the final velocity √ √( ) ( )

The direction of the final velocity ( ) ( )

4.2 Conservation of Momentum

Consider an isolated system (no external forces

acting on any part of the system) of two interacting bodies
as shown in Figure 4.2. The two bodies A and B exert
forces (internal force) on each other. Newton’s 3rd Law
states that these two forces are equal in magnitude but
opposite in direction.
⃗ ⃗

⃗ ⃗

Before impact
⃗ ⃗ (⃗ ⃗ ) ⃗

where ⃗⃗ – the total momentum of the system.

Since the rate of change of the two momenta are equal in

magnitude but opposite in direction, hence the rate of
change of the total momentum is zero.

⃗⃗ After impact
Fig. 4.2. Two ice skaters push each
In general form, other as they skate on a frictionless,
horizontal surface. The forces the
skaters exert on each other form an
⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗ (4-5)
action-reaction pair. The normal force
and gravitational force are external
or forces, but their vector sum is zero,
so the total momentum is conserved.

⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗

which is a mathematical statement of the Principle of Conservation of Linear Momentum

stating that “If the net external force acting on an isolated system is zero, the total
momentum of the system is constant”.
In component form,

⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗

⃗ ⃗ ⃗ ⃗

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Sample Problem

Squids and octopuses propel themselves by expelling water. They do this by keeping water in
a cavity and then suddenly contracting the cavity to force out the water through an opening. A
9.00 kg squid (including the water in the cavity) at rest suddenly sees a dangerous predator.
(a) If the squid has 2.30 kg of water in its cavity, at what speed must it expel this water to
suddenly achieve a speed of 1.90 m/s to escape the predator? Neglect any drag effects of the
surrounding water. (b) How much kinetic energy does the squid create by this maneuver?
Solution
a) Initially, the total of the system of 9.00 kg squid is zero, . Since the drag effects
are neglected, then the total momentum of the system is conserved, . The
mass of the squid when it expels the water is 6.70 kg.

( ) ( )( )

b) The amount of kinetic energy is

( )( ) ( )( )

4.3 Linear Momentum Conservation in Collisions

Collision is any strong interaction between

bodies that lasts for a very relatively short time. In
most collisions, the internal forces between the bodies
are much larger than any of the external forces, hence
the external forces are entirely negligible, and the
system can be treated as an isolated system. Thus, in
any types of collision, the total momentum of the
system is conserved. Collisions can be classified into
two general types, the elastic and the inelastic
collisions.

Collision is said to be elastic when both the total kinetic

energy and total momentum of the system are
conserved. This happens when the forces between the
interacting bodies are conservative. An elastic collision
is impossible to observe in the macroscopic world. This
type of collision is more plausible for collisions between
fundamental particles.

Consider the elastic collision between bodies A and B in

one-dimension as illustrated in Figure 4.3. Rearranging
the equation for momentum conservation:
Fig. 4.3. Two gliders undergoing an
elastic collision on a frictionless
surface. The steel spring bumper on
each glider exerts a conservative force
on the other glider upon collision.

( ) ( )

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Conservation of total kinetic energy is given by Equation 4-6.

(4-6)

Simplifying Equation 4-6,

( )( ) ( )( )

Dividing the two derived equations from conservation of momentum and kinetic energy:

( ) (4-7)

Note that is the velocity of A relative to B after the collision while is the
velocity of A relative to B before the collision. The relative velocities before and after the
collision have the same magnitude, but opposite in direction since A and B are approaching
before the collision but moves apart after the collision. Equation 4-7 is valid only when the
elastic collision is head-on.

In an inelastic collision, the total kinetic energy of the system decreases after collision, but
total momentum is still conserved as given by Equation 4-5. In this type of collision, the total
kinetic energy of the colliding bodies after the collision is less than the total kinetic energy of
the bodies before the collision. During impact, the some of the total kinetic energy is
converted into other forms, such as heat or the energy used to cause deformations in the
colliding bodies. The lost in the kinetic energy of the system is:

( ) ( )

( ) ( ) (4-8)

Specifically, an inelastic collision in which the colliding bodies

stick together and move as one body after the collision is
called perfectly inelastic collision. Consider a completely
inelastic collision in one dimension as illustrated in Figure
4.4. Because the two bodies A and B stick together after
collision, the two bodies have the same velocity after
collision ⃗⃗ ⃗⃗ ⃗⃗ . Then by conservation of momentum,
the final velocities of each body are:

( )⃗ ⃗ ⃗

⃗ ⃗
⃗ ⃗ ⃗ (4-9)
( )

The kinetic energy of the system after a completely inelastic

collision: Fig. 4.4. Two gliders undergoing
a completely inelastic collision.
Each glider has a Velcro®
( ) (4-10) attached on the end so that the
gliders stick together after
collision.

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Sample Problem
1. Consider the elastic collision between two pucks (mA =
0.500 kg and mB = 0.300 kg) on a frictionless air- (a)
hockey table. Puck A has initial velocity of 4.00 m/s in
the positive x-direction while puck B is initially at rest.
(a) If the collision is one-dimensional (head-on), what
are the velocities of the two pucks after the collision
(Figure 4.5.a)? (b) If the collision between the pucks is
non-head-on wherein after collision puck A moves in
an unknown direction with a final speed of 2.00 m/s
(Figure 4.5.b), what is the final speed of puck B and
the unknown direction of their motions after collision (b)
and ? Fig. 4.5. Elastic collision: (a)
before a head-on collision; and (b)
Solution after a non-head-on collision
a) For the case where the collision is head-on, we can between two pucks.
directly use Eq. 4.5 and 4.7. Since puck B is initially
at rest, , then Eq. 4.7 becomes or . Substituting
this to Equation 4.5:
( )

( )( )
( )
( ) ( )

Substituting this to Equation 4.5:

b) For the case where the collision is non-head-on, we can use Eq. 4.6 to solve for the
final speed of puck B since the final speed of puck A .

( )( ) ( )( )
√ √

To solve for the directions of their motion after collision, we use the momentum
conservation on x and y-axis, that is:
and

where , , , and

and

From the first equation:

From the second equation:

Using the trigonometric identity ,

( ) ( )

Simplifying the equation, and using the trigonometric function

( ) ( ) ( )

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 ( ) ( ) ( )
[ ]

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
[ ]
( )( )( )( )

and

( )( )
( ) [ ]
( )( )

2. A 10 g bullet moving at 400 m/s is fired into a stationary 9.00 kg block of wood. (a) If the
bullet is embedded into the wood after the collision, what is the speed of the wood block
just after the collision? (b) If instead the bullet hits a block of iron of the same mass and
the bullet rebound at 250 m/s after the collision, what would be the speed of the iron
block just after the collision?

Solution

a) The collision in perfectly inelastic so ⃗⃗ ⃗⃗ ⃗⃗ .

( )( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )

b) When the collision is simply inelastic, we use Eq. 4.5

( ) ( )( ) ( )( )

3. At the intersection of Limketkai Drive and C.M. Recto

Avenue, a 1700 kg Magnum Van travelling north
collides with 8200 kg Rural Tours Bus traveling east.
The two vehicles stick together as a result of collision,
and the wreckage slides at 23.0 m/s in the direction
68.0° east of north (Figure 4.6). Assuming that the
collision occurs during a heavy rainstorm, you can
ignore friction between the vehicles and the wet road.
(a) Calculate the speed of each vehicle before
collision. (b) How much energy is lost during the
collision?
Fig. 4.6

Solution

a) The collision is a non-head-on, so the momentum in conserved in both the x and y-

axis. Since the motion of the van is towards North, and ; while for
the bus that is travelling east, and . The collision is also perfectly
inelastic the final velocity has components and . For the bus,
( ) ( )

( ) ( )( )

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 And for the Van,
( ) ( )

( ) ( )( )

b) The energy of the system before the collision is

( )( ) ( )( )

The energy of the system after the collision is

( ) ( )( )

The energy lost is:

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 Exercises No. 4

1. Two vehicles are approaching an intersection. One is a 2800 kg pick-up traveling at 15.0 m/s from
west to east, and the other is 1750 kg sedan moving north to south at 23.0 m/s. (a) What are the
magnitude of the individual momentum of each vehicle? (b) What is the magnitude and direction of
the total momentum of the system? (c) What is their total kinetic energy?
2. A bat strikes a 0.160 kg baseball. Just before impact, the ball is travelling horizontally to the right at
45.0 m/s, and it leaves the bat traveling to the left at an angle of 36.9° above the horizontal with a
speed of 60.0 m/s. If the ball and the bat are in contact for 1.75 ms, (a) find the components of the
impulse of the net force on the ball. (b) What is the magnitude and direction of the average force on
the ball?
3. An 8.00 kg shell at rest explodes in two fragments, with mass ratio of 3:2. If the lighter fragment
gains 90.0 J of kinetic energy from the explosion, how much kinetic energy does the heavier
fragment gain?
4. A 65.0 kg astronaut is doing a repair in space on the orbiting space station. The astronaut throws a
2.50 kg toolbox away from him at 3.50 m/s to the space station. (a) With what speed and in what
direction will he begin to move? (b) How much kinetic energy does the astronaut create by this
maneuver?
5. Cars are equipped with flexible bumpers, so that they will bounce off each other during low-speed
collisions. In one particular accident, an 1800 kg car traveling at 1.60 m/s to the left collides with a
1300 kg car that is moving at 1.25 m/s to the right. If the lighter car moves at 0.520 m/s to the left
just after the collision and ignoring any road friction, (a) what is the speed of the heavier car just
after the collision? (b) What is the change in the combined kinetic energy of the two-car system
during this collision?
6. You are standing on a sheet of ice on a skating rink and your mass is 68.00 kg. Your 70.0 kg friend
throws you a 0.450 kg ball that is travelling horizontally at 9.00 m/s. (a) If you catch the ball, with
what speed do you and the ball move afterward? (b) If the ball hits you and bounces of your chest
that it moves 7.50 m/s horizontally in the opposite direction, what is your speed after the collision?
7. A 9.00 g marble slides to the right with a speed of 0.750 m/s on a frictionless, horizontal surface and
collides head-on and elastically with another marble of 28.0 g sliding to the left at speed of 0.250
m/s. Calculate the speed of each marble after the collision.
8. Two blocks, mA=2.60 kg and mB=13.0 kg, are equipped with ideal spring bumpers. The blocks are on
a frictionless surface with block B initially at rest and block A moving at 3.00 m/s towards block B.
The collision between the blocks is an elastic head-on. (a) Calculate the velocities of the blocks after
collision. (b) What is the kinetic energy of block A before collision? (c) What is the combined kinetic
energy of the two blocks after collision?
9. An 11.0 g rifle bullet is fired with a speed of 400 m/s
into a ballistic pendulum with mass 5.00 kg,
suspended from a cord 25.0 cm long as shown in
Figure 4.7. (a) Calculate the vertical height through
which the pendulum rises. (b) How much energy is
dissipated during the collision?
10. A rifle bullet with mass of 7.50 g strikes and embeds
itself in a 0.870 kg block resting on a frictionless,
horizontal surface and is attached to an ideal spring
whose force constant is 300 N/m. The impact compresses the spring to 18 cm. (a) What is the
magnitude of the velocity of the block just after the impact? (b) What was the initial speed of the
bullet?

Answers:

1. (a) , , 5. (a) , (b)

(b) , , 6. (a) , (b)
(c) 7. and
2. (a) , , 8. (a) , , (b) ,
(b) , (c)

3. 9. (a) , (b)
4. (a) , (b) 10. (a) , (b)

81
 LINEAR MOMENTUM, IMPULSE
AND COLLISIONS

Name: ____________________________________ Section: _________________________

4
PROBLEM SET

Instructor: _________________________________ Date Submitted: __________________

1. A tennis ball of 0.050 kg was initially pushed down with a velocity of 1.50 m/s from a
height of 1.00 m toward the floor. The ball rebounds to a height 35 cm higher than where
it was initially. (a) What is the impulse delivered to the tennis ball? (b) If the impact
between the floor and the ball lasts for 0.090 s, how much force does the floor exerts on
the ball during the collision?

2. A bat strikes a 0.160 kg baseball. Just before impact, the ball is travelling horizontally to
the right at 45.0 m/s, and it leaves the bat traveling to the left at an angle of 36.9° above
the horizontal with a speed of 60.0 m/s. If the ball and the bat are in contact for 1.75 ms,
(a) find the components of the impulse of the net force on the ball. (b) What is the
magnitude and direction of the average force on the ball?

82
3. In a billiard game, a cue ball of mass 180 g moving to the left at 4.75 m/s collides head-
on with a stationary target ball of 165 g. If the collision between the balls is elastic, (a)
show that the coefficient of restitution is equal to 1. (b) Show that the total kinetic energy
of the system is conserved before and after the collision? (c) If the collision between the
billiards lasts for 0.085 s, what is the magnitude and direction of the net force exerted on
the target ball?

4. Two asteroids of equal mass in the asteroid belt

between Mars and Jupiter collides. Asteroid A
was initially travelling at 50.0 m/s when it hits a
stationary asteroid B. After impact, the two
asteroids are deflected and travels in the
direction as shown in Figure 4.8. Find the speed
of each asteroid after collision.

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5. At a road intersection, a 2900 kg truck moving to the north at 18.0 m/s collides with a
2000 kg car moving to the west. The two vehicles became entangled after collision and
move together at 39.0° north of west from the point of impact. (a) What is the speed of
the two vehicles right after the collision? (b) With what velocity was the car moving when
it collides with the truck? (c) How much energy is dissipated during the collision?

84