Chapter 6

Momentum and Collisions

Important Terms:

Linear Momentum = the product of mass and velocity

Total Linear Momentum = the vector sum of the moments of the individual particles

Impulse = the change in momentum

Impulse – momentum theorem = the impulse exerted on a body is equal to the change
in the body’s momentum

Conservation of Linear Momentum = No net external force acting on the system

Elastic Collision = the total kinetic energy of all the objects of the system after collision
is the same as their total kinetic energy before the collision.

Inelastic Collision = total kinetic energy is conserved

Completely Inelastic Collision = the objects stick together and hence have the same
velocity after colliding

Center of Mass (CM) = the point at which all of the mass of an object or system may be
considered to be concentrated, for the purposes of linear or translational motion only.

Center of Gravity = the point where all of the weight of an object may be considered to
be concentrated in representing the object as a particle.

Jet propulsion = the application of such jets to the production of motion

Important Equations:

Linear Momentum
p=mv
Where: p = linear momentum
m = mass
v = velocity

Total Linear Momentum of a System

P=∑ mi Pi
 Newton’s Second Law in Terms of Momentum
Δp
F=
Δt
Where: F = force
T = time

Impulse – Momentum Theorem

J=FΔt= Δp=mv f – mv i

Where: J = impulse

Conditions for an Elastic Collision

Pf =Pi
K f =K i
Where: K = kinetic energy

Conditions for an Inelastic Collision

Pf =Pi
Kf <Ki

Final Velocities in Head - On – Two – Body Elastic Collision

(m – m2 ) v 1 i
v1 = 1
(m 1 +m 2)
2m1 v 1 i
v 2=
(m1+ m2 )

Coordinate of the Center of Mass

❑i mi x i
X=
M

Example 1: A 100kg football player runs with a velocity of 4.0m/s straight down the
field. A 1.0kg artillery shell leaves the barrel of a gun with a muzzle velocity of 500m/s.
Which has the greater momentum, the football player or the shell?

Given:
m p=100 kg Solution:
m p p=mv
v p =4.0
ms =1kg
s
(
p p= (100 kg ) 4.0
m
s) m
=400 kg ∙ =400 N ∙ s
s
m
v s=500
s ps =mv

Required:
p p≤¿ p s ?
(
ps =1 kg 500
m
s) m
=500 kg ∙ =500 N ∙ s
s
p p < ps
Example 2: Consider three objects, a typical .22-caliber bullet would have a weight of
about 30 grains muzzle velocity of about 1300ft/s and if 1lb = 7000gr., a ship of about
70,000tons and a speed of about 20knots, if 1knot = 1.15mi/h and a glacier of 1km wide,
10 km long and 250m deep and might have a velocity of 1m/day. Which of the three has
the greatest and least linear momentum and the greatest and the least kinetic energy?

Given:
1 lb 1 kg −3
m0.22 b=30 gr × × =1.95 × 10 kg
7000 gr 2.2 lb
ft 1m
v 0.22b =1300 × =396.34 m/ s
s 3.28 ft

mship =70,000 tons ( 2000 lbs

1ton )( 2.2 lbs )
1 kg
=63.64 x 10 kg 6

=20 knots ( )( )( 3.28 ft 3600 s )

)(
1.15 mi /hr 5280 ft 1m 1 hr
v ship =10.28 m/s
1 knot 1 mi

mglacier =( 1000 )( 10000 ) ( 250 )

( 1000m kg )=2.5× 10
3
12
kg

(
v glacier = 1
m
day )( 124dayhr )( 3600
1hr
s)
=1.16 ×10 −6 m
s

Solution:
p0.22 b=mv=( 1.95× 10 kg ) 396.34
−3
( m
s )
=0.77 kg ∙ m/s

pship =mv=( 63.64 x 106 kg ) 10.28 ( ms )=654.22 ×10 kg ∙ m/s 6

kg ) (1.16 × 10
s)
m
p glacier=mv=( 2.5 ×1012 −6
=2.90× 10 kg ∙ m/s 6

KE 0.22 b=0.5 m v 2=0.5 ( 1.95 ×10−3 kg ) (396.34 m/s)2=153.16 J

KE ship =0.5 m v =0.5 ( 63.64 x 10 kg ) 10.28
2 6
(m 2
s )9
=3.36 ×10 J

( )
2
−6 m
KE glacier =0.5 mv =0.5 ( 2.5× 10 kg ) 11.57 ×10
2 12
=167.33 J
s

Example 3: What is the total momentum of the systems of particles?

a.
p2 = 3kg m/s p1 = 2kg m/s
 b.

Solution:
m
PT =P1+ P 2=2+3=5 kg ∙
s

m
P1∧2=−8+ 5=−3 kg ∙
s

m
PT =√ ( 4) +(−3) =5 kg ∙
2 2
s
Example 4: A golfer drives a 0.10kg ball from an elevated tee, giving the ball an initial
horizontal speed of 40m/s. The club and the ball are in contact for 1.0milliseconds.
What is the average force exerted by the club on the ball during this time?

Given:
m=0.1 kg Solution:
v=40 m/s J= p
t=1 ×10−3 s Ft =mv
mv 0.1(40)
F= = =4000 N
Required: t −3
1× 10 s
F=?

Example 5: Two masses, m1 = 1kg and m2 = 2kg, are held on either side of a light
compressed spring by a light string joining them. The string is burned, and the masses
move apart on the frictionless surface, with m1 having a velocity of 1.8m/s to the left.
What is the velocity of m2?

Given: V 2=?
m1=1 kg
m2=2 kg Solution:
m m1 V 1 =m2 V 2
V 1=1.8
s 1(1.8)=2 V

Required:
1.8 m
V 2= =0.9
2 s
Example 6: A moving shuffleboard puck has a glancing collision with a stationary one of
the same mass. If friction is negligible, what are the speeds of the pucks after the
collision?

Solution:
Σ ρh=0+→
m1 V 1 +m2 V 2−m1 U 1−m2 U 2=0
m1 V 1 +m2 V 2=m1 U 1 +m2 U 2
V 1=U 1+U 2
0.95=U 1 cos 50°+U 2 cos 40° → Eqn 1

Σ ρv =0+↑
m u sin 50 °−m2 u2 sin 40 °
0= 1 1 V1 = 0.95m/s
m
0=u1 sin50 °−u 2 sin 40°
u2 sin 40 °
u1= → Eqn2
sin 50°

Substitute Equation 2 in Equation 1 V2 = 0m/s

0.95= 2(u sin 40 °

sin50 ° )cos 50 °+u 2 cos 40 ° U1

0.95=u2 (
sin 40
tan 50
+ cos 40 °) 50
o
0.95 40
u2 = =u2 =0.73 m/s o
sin 40
+ cos 40 ° U2
tan 50
m
∴ u1=0.61
s

Example 7: A 1.0kg ball with a speed of 4.5m/s strikes a 2.0kg stationary ball. If the
collision is completely inelastic, what are the speeds of the balls after collision? What
percentage of the initial kinetic energy do they have after the collision? What is the total
momentum after the collision?

Given:
m1=1 kg Required:
V 1=4.5 m/s a . U 1∧U 2 =?
m2=2 kg KE f
b. =?
V 2=0 m/ s KE i
e=0 c . pT =?
Solution:
m1 V 1 +m2 V 2=m1 U 1 +m2 U 2
1 ( 4.5 ) +2(0)=1u1 +2 u2
4.5=u1 +2 u2 → Equation 1

u −u 2
KE f 0.5(m 1 U f 1 + m 2 U f 2 )
2
a . e= 2 1 b. =
v 1−v 2 KE i 0.5 (m1 V i 12+ m 2 V i 22)
u2−u1
0=
4.5−0 KE f 0.5 ( [ 1 ( 1.5 ) ]+ [ 2 ( 1.5 ) ])
2 2

u 2−u1 =
0= KE i 0.5 ( [ 1 ( 4.5 )2 ] + [ 2 ( 0 )2 ] )
4.5
∴ u2=u1
4.5=u1 +2 u1 KE f 2.25+4.5 6.75
= ×100= x 100=33.33 %
m KE i 20.25 20.25
u1=1.5 =u2
s
c . pT =m1 U 1+ m2 U 2=1 ( 1.5 ) +2 (1.5 )

m
pT =4.5 kg ∙
s
Example 8: A 0.30kg object with a speed of 2.0m/s in the positive x direction has a head
on collision with a stationary 0.70kg object located at x = 0. What is the distance
separating the objects 2.5s after collision?

Given: V 2=0 m/ s
m1=0.3 kg
V 1=2 m/s Required:
m2=0.7 kg d x ∧d y =?

Solution:
m1 V 1 +m2 V 2=m1 U 1 +m2 U 2
[ 0.3 ( 2 ) +0.7 ( 0 )=0.3 ( u1 ) +0.7 ( u 2 ) ] 10
6=3 u1 +7 u2

U 2 −U 1
e=1=
V 1 −V 2
U 2−U 1
1=
2−0
2=U 2−U 1
U 2=2+U 1

6=3 U 1+ 7 ( 2+U 1 )
6=3 U 1+ 14+7 U 1
−8=10 U 1
U 1=−0.8 m/s
U 2=1.2 m/s
 X1
U 1= ; X 1=U 1 t=0.8 ( 2.5 )=2 m
t
X2
U 2= ; X 2=U 2 t=1.2 ( 2.5 )=3 m
t
X T = X 1+ X 2=2+3=5 m

Example 9: A 7.1kg bowling ball with a speed of 6m/s has a head on collision with a
stationary 1.6kg pin. What is the velocity of each object after the collision? What is the
total momentum after the collision?

Given: V 2=0 m/ s
m1=7.1 kg
V 1=6 m/ s Required:
m2=1.6 kg a . U 1∧U 2 =?

b . ρT =?
Solution:
(m1 – m2) V 1 (7.1−1.6 ) ( 6 )
a . U 1= = =3.79 m/s
(m1+ m2 ) 8.7
2 m1 V 1 2 ( 7.1 ) ( 6 )
U 2= = =9.79 m/s
( m1 +m2 ) 8.7

b . ρT =m1 U 1 +m2 U 2=7.1 ( 3.79 )+1.6 ( 9.79 )=42.57 kg . m/s

Example 10:
40kg @ 25m/s &: 40kg @ 25 m/s

Given: v 2=25 m/s ←

m1=40 kg
v1 =25 m/s → Required:
m2=40 kg U 1∧U 2=?

Solution:
m1 v 1+ m2 v 2=m1 u1 +m2 u2
( 40 )( 25 )+ ( 40 ) (−25 )=40 ( u1 ) +40 ( u 2)
25−25=u 1+u 2
u1=−u2

a. if e = 1 50=u2−u1
u −u 50=u2−(−u 2)
e= 2 1
v 1−v 2 50=2u2
u2−u 1 U 2=25 m/ s
1=
25+25 U 1=−25 m/ s
b. If e = 0 c. if e = 0.8
u 2−u1 u 2−u1
0= 0.8=
25+ 25 25+ 25
0=u2−u1 40=u2−u1
u2=u 1 40=u2− (−u2 )
u2=−u2 40=2 u2
2 u2=0 U 2=20 m/ s
U 2=0 m/ s=U 1
U 1=−20 m/ s
Example 11: Three masses, 2kg, 3kg and 6kg are located at positions (3.0, 0), (6.0, 0)
and (-4.0, 0), respectively, in meters from the origin. Where is the center of mass of this
system?

Given: x=?
m1=2 kg (3,0)
m2=3 kg (6,0) Solution:
m3=6 kg (−4,0 ) x m=❑i mi xi
11 x=2 ( 3 )+ 3 ( 6 ) +6 (−4 )
Required: 11 x=24−24
x=0

Example 12: A dumbbell has a connecting bar of negligible mass. Find the location of
the center of mass if m1 and m2 are each 5kg and if m1 is 5kg and m2 is 10kg, and if the
distance of dumbbell is 0.20m and 0.90m from the origin.

a. Given: b. Given:
m1=m2=5 kg m1=5 kg
x 1=0.2 m m2=10 kg
x 2=0.9 m x 1=0.2
x 2=0.9
Required:
x=? Required:
x=?
Solution:
m x=❑i mi xi Solution:
10 x=5 ( 0.2 ) +5 ( 0.9 ) m x=❑i mi xi
10 x=1+4.5 15 x=5 ( 0.2 ) +10 ( 0.9 )
5.5 15 x=1+9
x= =0.55 m
10

10
x= =0.67 m
15
Example 13: A 75.0kg man stands in the far end of a 50kg boat 100m from the shore. If
he walks to the other end of the 6m long boat, how far is the man then from the shore?
Neglect friction; assume that the center of the mass of the boat is at its midpoint.

Given: m x=❑i mi xi
mman=75.0 kg 125 x=75 ( 100 ) +50 ( 97 )
mboat =50 kg 125 x=12350
lenght boat =6 m x=98.8 m
d=100m
m x=❑i mi xi
Required: 125 ( 98.8 )=75 ( x ) +50 ( x+3 )
x=? 125 ( 98.8 )=75 x +50 x+150
125 ( 98.8 )−150=125 x
Solution:
12200
x= =97.6 m
125

50kg
75kg

100m

Name:
Section:

1. Solve for the velocities after collision

40kg @ 25m/s &: 30kg 35 m/s

2: What is the momentum of a 100kg a shell if its speed is 1500m/s?

3: A boy kicks a stationary can with his toe. If he exerts 8lbs. for a time of 0.5s, how
large is impulse applied to the can?

4: A ball of 0.3kg mass is thrown toward a wall w/a horizontal velocity of 40m/s.
Determine a) impulse exerted in the ball by the wall if the final velocity is 30m/s; b.) if
they were in contact for 1/10 sec. what force was exerted by the wall in the ball?
5: A 200g of bullet is fired with a velocity of 500m/s from a 1.5kg rifle. What is the
speed of the recoil of rifle?