MOMENTUM

In physics the term momentum is used to describe objects in motion. The momentum of an
object depends on its mass and its velocity. The greater the mass or velocity of an object, the
greater its momentum.

Momentum is the product of a moving object's mass and velocity.

Momentum= mass×velocity
The symbol for momentum is p so this can also be written as:
p=mv
Momentum is measured in kg ms-1.

Momentum is a vector quantity that depends on the direction of the object. Momentum is of
interest during collisions between objects.
When two objects collide the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total
momentum after the collision (in the absence of external forces).
This is the law of conservation of momentum. It is true for all collisions.
Momentum, kinetic energy and impulse can be used to analyse collisions between objects such
as vehicles or balls. Forces and the final velocity of objects can be determined.
Conservation of momentum example
Consider two model cars of mass 1.2 and 1.4 kg colliding at the speeds shown:

The total momentum before the collision is the sum of both momentums:
Momentum of blue car A:
pA=mAv
=1.2×0.5
=0.6kgms−1
Momentum of red car B:

pB=mBv
mBv=1.4×0.2
=0.28kgms−1
The red car is travelling in the negative direction so the momentum is subtracted.
Total momentum:
0.6−0.28

=0.32kgms−1
If the two cars stick together after the collision and move as one then the velocity vAB of the two
cars can be determined because the total momentum after the collision is the same (ie 0.32 kg
ms-1).
The total mass mAB is now 2.6 kg.
Total momentum after collision is 0.32 kg ms-1:
0.32=mAB×vAB
0.32=2.6×vAB
vAB=0.322.6
=0.12ms−1

The velocity is positive so this shows that the two cars move off in the positive (left to right)
direction.

The total momentum of two objects before a collision is the same as their total momentum
after the collision - provided there are no external forces.
Elastic and inelastic collisions
As in all collisions, momentum is conserved in this example. But calculations comparing kinetic
energy before and after the collision show kinetic energy is not conserved. This is
an inelastic collision.
If kinetic energy before is the same as after, then the collision is elastic. Interactions between
molecules are examples of perfectly elastic collisions. In most other cases (eg snooker balls),
collisions are not perfectly elastic - some kinetic energy is lost. But this must be tested by
calculation.
Remember that kinetic energy can be calculated using the following equation:
Ek=12mv2
When working with collisions, kinetic energy must be worked out for each object involved
both before and after the collision.
Question : If two bumper cars collide head-on in a fairground and both cars come to a stop due
to the collision, kinetic energy is obviously not conserved. Is momentum conserved even though
both cars stop?
Yes, although there is no momentum after the collision, there was no total momentum before the
collision. Momentum is a vector quantity. The positive momentum of one car must have been
balanced out by the negative momentum of the other car.

Question : Is kinetic energy conserved even though both cars stop?

No. Kinetic energy is a scalar quantity so there is no balancing out of the different directions.
Both cars were moving and had kinetic energy before the collision. Both cars are at rest and have
no kinetic energy after.

Conservation of kinetic energy example

Question : A red snooker ball and a blue snooker ball (each with a mass of 160 g) collide. The
red ball is travelling from left to right at 0.28 ms-1. The blue ball is travelling from right to left at
0.12 ms-1. This is shown in the diagram below.
 After the collision, the blue ball travels from left to right at 0.18 ms-1.

a) Calculate the velocity of the red ball after the collision.

b) a) Total momentum before = total momentum after
mredured+mblueublue=mredvred+mbluevblue
0.16×0.28+0.16×(−0.12)=0.16×vred+0.16×0.18
Rearranging:

0.16×vred=(0.0448−0.0192)−0.0288
=0.0256−0.0288
=−0.00320.16
vred=−0.02ms−1. This is a negative value, so the direction is from right to left
b) To determine if the collision is elastic or not, you must work out the kinetic energy before and
after the collision.
Remember the equation for calculating kinetic energy in general is:
Ek=12mv2
This example deals with two objects. The kinetic energy before the collision involves their initial
speed, so the equation becomes:
Ek=12mred(ured)2+12mblue(ublue)2
=0.5×0.16×(0.28)2+0.5×0.16×(0.12)2
=0.00627+0.00115
=0.00742J

Total kinetic energy after collision:

12mred(vred)2+12mblue(vblue)2
=0.5×0.16×(0.02)2+0.5×0.16×(0.18)2
=0.000032+0.00259
=0.00262J
Total kinetic energy lost:

=0.00742−0.00262
=0.0048
48 mJ of energy is lost so the collision is inelastic.
Use kinetic energy to determine whether the collision was elastic or not.
Newton's Third Law in collisions

Newton's Third Law of motion states that every action force has an equal and opposite reaction
force.
In collisions this means that the force of one object on the other is equal in magnitude but
opposite in direction.
In this example, the ball exerts a force to the right on the racquet. By Newton's Third Law, the
racquet exerts a force to the left on the ball, causing its change in direction.