SPECIFICATION – YOU NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING

MOMENTUM AND FORCES

1. What is momentum?

Momentum is the product of mass and velocity. Momentum is also a vector quantity – this

means it has both a magnitude and an associated direction.

For example, an elephant has no momentum when it is standing still. When it begins to walk, it
will have momentum in the same direction as it is traveling. The faster the elephant walks, the
larger its momentum will be.

2. Calculating momentum

All moving objects have momentum. The relationship between momentum, p, mass, m, and
velocity, v, is: p =m×v

Momentum can be calculated using the equation:

momentum = mass × velocity

p=m v

This is when:

 momentum (p) is measured in kilogram metres per second (kg m/s)

 mass (m) is measured in kilograms (kg)
 velocity (v) is measured in metres per second (m/s)

Law of conservation of momentum.

In a closed system, the total momentum before an interaction is equal to the total momentum after
the interaction. This is called the conservation of momentum.
Explosions – applying the law of
conservation of momentum
NB!!! Students may be required to complete calculations involving two objects. Examples of
interactions are collisions and explosions.
3. Resultant force related to
momentum
The relationship between force, F, change in momentum, Δp, and time, t, is:
 Students should be able to use this relationship to explain qualitatively car safety features such as
airbags, seat belts, side impact bars, and crumple zones. Also, gymnasium crash mats, cushioned
surfaces for playgrounds, and cycle helmets.

4. Car safety features

When there is a car crash, the car, its contents and the passengers decelerate rapidly. They
experience great forces because of the change in momentum which can cause injuries.

Modern cars have safety features that absorb kinetic energy in collisions. These typically
include:

 seat belts
 air bags
 crumple zones
These features reduce injuries to the people in the car by absorbing energy from the impact. They
increase the time taken for the change in momentum on the occupants' bodies, and so reduce the
forces involved and any subsequent injuries.

These features absorb energy when they change shape. This reduces injuries to the people in the
car. They increase the time taken for the change in momentum on the occupants' bodies, and so
reduce the forces involved and any subsequent injuries.

Seat belts
Seat belts stop you tumbling around inside the car if there is a collision. However, they are
designed to stretch a bit in a collision. This increases the time taken for the body's momentum to
reach zero, and so reduces the forces on it.

Air bags
Air bags increase the time taken for the head's momentum to reach zero, and so reduce the forces
on it. They also act a soft cushion and prevent cuts.

Crumple zones
Crumple zones are areas of a vehicle that are designed to crush in a controlled way in a collision.
They increase the time taken to change the momentum of the driver and passengers in a crash,
which reduces the force involved.
Past papers
Scan the QR code for practice questions. Each week you will be given a worksheet and selected
questions to work on.
https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/physics-revision/gcse-aqa/forces/