Chapter 5

Momentum and Collisions

 5.1 Momentum and Impulse
Linear Momentum线性动量: the product of an object’s mass and its velocity, (kg•m/s)

∆p=m (V f– Vi)

Describe motion of a collection of objects; connect to Newton’s first and second laws.
Impulse
Impulse冲量: the change in momentum caused by the application of a force
over a time interval, (N•s); its direction is the same as the direction of the total
force on the object. 描述力在一定时间内，对物体状态产生了多少影响。

( )

Impulse is the time integration of force. The magnitude of an impulse can be found
by measuring the area under the force–time curve. 类比：s=v•∆t
注意三种计算方法。
Applications
10. A rubber ball with a mass of 0.25 kg is dropped from a height of 1.5 m onto the
floor. Just after bouncing from the floor, the ball has a velocity of 4.0 m/s [up].
(a) Determine the impulse imparted by the floor to the ball. Hint:能量守恒
(b) If the average force of the floor on the ball is 18 N [up], for how long is the ball
in contact with the floor?
8. A hockey player passes a puck that is initially at rest. The force exerted by the
stick on the puck is 1100.0 N [forward], and the stick is in contact with the puck for
5.0 ms.
(a) Determine the impulse imparted by the stick to the puck
(b) If the puck has a mass of 0.12 kg, calculate the speed of the puck just after it
leaves the hockey stick.
Applications
5.2 Conservation of Momentum in One Dimension
Law of Conservation of Momentum 动量守恒：

The collision in an isolated system does not change the total momentum of the
two objects. Whatever momentum is lost by one object in the collision is gained
by the other. The total momentum of the system is conserved.

根源：牛顿第三定理
Interactions within a system
1. Collision: two or more objects come together
2. Explosion: a single object or group of objects breaks apart

7. An object of mass m1=2.5 kg has a one-dimensional collision with another object of

mass m2=7.5 kg, as shown in Figure 5. Their initial speeds along x are v1=+6.0 m/s
and v2=–15 m/s. The two objects stick together after the collision. Calculate the velocity
after the collision.
Calculate the momentum of each part of the
asteroid after the explosion.
5.3 Collisions
Different types of collision:

1. elastic collision: a collision in which momentum and kinetic energy are

conserved, the total kinetic energy of two objects before a collision is equal to
the total kinetic energy of the two objects after the collision.

2. inelastic collision: a collision in which momentum is conserved, but kinetic

energy is not conserved, kinetic energy is transformed into other forms, such as
thermal energy or sound energy, total energy is conserved.
Perfectly Elastic Collisions: total kinetic energy is conserved

Perfectly Inelastic Collisions: an ideal collision in which two objects stick

together perfectly so they have the same final velocity;
Inelastic collision application:
Applications （先识别碰撞模型再运用公式）
2. An 85 kg skateboarder takes a running jump onto his skateboard, which has a
mass of 8.0 kg and is initially at rest. After he lands on the skateboard, the speed
of the board plus the skateboarder is 3.0 m/s. Determine the speed of the
skateboarder just before he landed on the skateboard.
5.4 Head-on Elastic Collisions
An impact in which two objects approach each other from opposite directions;
momentum and kinetic energy are conserved after the collision.

考虑几种特殊情况
1.When one mass is significantly greater than the other mass, and the larger mass
is stationary throughout the collision, Vf1≈ –Vi1, Vf2 ≈ Vi2 ≈ 0
2. m1=m2, 交换速度
Conservation of Mechanical Energy
During a head-on collision in one dimension, the kinetic energy of the moving
masses is converted into elastic potential energy, and then back into kinetic
energy during the rebound. Total mechanical energy is conserved throughout the
collision.

Objects+Spring: At maximum compression, the two objects must have the same
velocity, Vf.
Application
5. Dynamics cart 1 has a mass of 0.84 kg and is initially moving at 4.2 m/s [right].
Cart 1 undergoes an elastic head-on collision with dynamics cart 2. The mass of
cart 2 is 0.48 kg, and cart 2 is initially moving at 2.4 m/s [left]. The collision is
cushioned by a spring with spring constant 8000 N/m.
(a) Calculate the final velocity of each cart after they completely separate.
(b) Determine the compression of the spring during the collision at the moment
when cart 1 is moving at 3.0 m/s [right].
(c) Determine the maximum compression of the spring.
 5.5 Collision in Two Dimensions
• Momentum is conserved for elastic and inelastic collisions.

• Kinetic energy is conserved only in elastic collisions.

• The laws of conservation of momentum and conservation of kinetic energy for

collisions in two dimensions are the same as they are for one-dimensional collisions.

Independently analyzing the momentum’s x-components and y-components 分解动量在

x,y上的分量
Application
1. Two balls of equal mass undergo a collision. Ball 1 is initially travelling
horizontally with a speed of 10.0 m/s, and ball 2 is initially at rest. After the
collision, ball 1 moves away with a velocity of 4.7 m/s at an angle of 60.0° from its
original path and ball 2 moves away at an unknown angle. Determine the
magnitude and direction of velocity of ball 2 after the collision.
 Chapter 6
Gravitational Field
6.1 Newtonian Gravitation 牛顿万有引力
The universal law of gravitation 万有引力定律:

The force of gravitational attraction between any two objects is directly

proportional to the product of the masses of the objects and inversely proportional
to the square of the distance between their centres 任何两个物体之间的引力与物
体质量的乘积成正比，与它们中心之间距离的平方成反比.

The gravitational constant 万有引力常数:

The gravitational field
·The gravitational field is a collection of vectors, one at each point in space, that
determines the magnitude and direction of the gravitational force.

· exerts forces on objects with mass.

· The gravitational field strength at a distance r from a body of mass m equals

the magnitude of gravitational acceleration at that distance. Unit: N/kg, or m/s^2

注意：m这里指产生引力的物体的质量
Applications
7. Calculate the gravitational field strength of the Sun at a distance of 1.5•10^11 m
from its centre (Earth’s distance). Mass of the sun is 2.0 × 10^30 kg.

9. A 537 kg satellite orbits Earth with a speed of 4.3 km/s at a distance of 2.5•10^7
m from Earth’s centre. (a) Calculate the acceleration of the satellite. (b) Calculate
the gravitational force on the satellite. M earth is 2.0 × 10^30 kg.
6.2 Orbits
Satellites: 由于引力而围绕另一个物体旋转的物体

1. Natural satellites, such as moons around planets

2. Artificial satellites, such as the International Space Station.

Rotating speed of satellites:

The speed of a satellite in uniform circular motion around a central body depends
on the mass of the central body, m, and the radius of the orbit, r:

For a given orbital radius, a satellite in circular orbit has a constant speed.
 How to derive a satellite’s rotation speed ?
For a satellite in a circular orbit, the gravitational force provides the centripetal force.

The speed of a satellite depends on its orbital radius and is independent of the
satellite’s own mass. Its speed v must be constant.
 Applications
1. Observations show matter at a distance of 5.34•10^17 m from the black hole
and travelling at speeds of 7.5•10^5 m/s. Calculate the mass of the black hole,
assuming the matter being observed moves in a circular orbit around it.

8. The region of the solar system between Mars and Jupiter, called the Asteroid
Belt, contains many asteroids that orbit the Sun. Consider an asteroid in a circular
orbit of radius 5.03•10^11 m. Mass of the sun is 1.99 × 10^30 kg.

(a) Calculate the speed of the asteroid around the Sun.

(b) Calculate the period of the orbit in years.