PH1011 Tut 4: Forces, Momentum and Impulse

1) [‘A’ J86/II/8] When a body moves through a fluid, a retarding force due to turbulence may be
experienced. In the case of a sphere of radius 𝑟 moving with speed v through a stationary fluid of
density 𝜌 which is at rest, this force is

𝐹 = 𝑘𝜌 𝑟 ! 𝑣 !

where 𝑘 is a constant. (Note that this formula differs from Stoke's law in the lecture notes).
When spherical raindrops fall through still air, all but the smallest experience a retarding
force given by the equation above. It is found that drops of a given radius approach the
ground with an approximately constant speed, which is independent of the cloud in which
they are form.

(a) Find an expression for this terminal speed 𝑣" in terms of the constant 𝑘 , the radius 𝑟 of
the drop, its density 𝜌# , the density of air 𝜌$ of the air and the acceleration of free fall g.
(You may neglect the upthrust due to air). Sketch the velocity-time graph of the object from
the moment it is released into the fluid.

(b) The terminal speed of the raindrop of radius 1 mm is approximately 7 𝑚𝑠 %& . In freak
storms, hailstones with radii as large as 20 mm may fall. Estimate the speed with which such
stones strike the ground. [Take the density of water as 1 × 10' 𝑘𝑔 𝑚%' and the density of
ice as 9 × 10! 𝑘𝑔 𝑚%' .

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2) [Activity]
a) The density of ice is 0.917 g/cm3, whereas that of seawater is 1.025 g/cm3. What percent of
an iceberg is above the surface of the water? (Discussion) If some ice and seawater are
placed in a measuring cylinder, will the seawater level rise, drop or stay the same when all
the ice melts?
b) When a crown of mass 14.7 kg is submerged in water, an accurate scale reads only 13.4 kg. Is
the crown made of gold?

c) A spherical iron ball bearing of diameter 4 mm is placed on a piece of Styrofoam floating in a

cylinder of oil as shown in the figure below. You may assume that the weight of the
Styrofoam is negligible. Density of iron is 7.86 g cm-3; density of oil is 0.83 g cm-3.
i) Calculate the upthrust acting on the piece of Styrofoam.
ii) What is the volume of oil displaced by the piece of Styrofoam and the iron ball bearing?
iii) The ball bearing rolls off the piece of Styrofoam and falls into the oil. Will the oil level be
higher, lower or the same as before? Explain your answer.

Iron ball bearing

Original oil level Styrofoam

Oil

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3) [S9.15] The magnitude of the net force exerted in the x direction on
a 2.50-kg particle varies in time as shown in the figure below. Find
(a) the impulse of the force over the 5.00-s time interval, (b) the
final velocity the particle attains if it is originally at rest, (c) its final
velocity if its original velocity is −2.00 3̂ m/s, and (d) the average
force exerted on the particle for the time interval between 0 and
5.00 s.

4) [G9.32] (a) Calculate the impulse experienced when a 65-kg person lands on firm ground after
jumping from a height of 3.0 m. (b) Estimate the average force exerted on the person’s feet by
the ground if the landing is stiff-legged, and again (c) with bent legs. With stiff legs, assume the
body moves 1.0 cm during impact, and when the legs are bent, about 50 cm. [Hint: The average
net force on her which is related to impulse, is the vector sum of gravity and the force exerted
by the ground.]

5) A neutron collides elastically with a helium nucleus (at rest initially) whose mass is four times
*
that of the neutron. The helium nucleus is observed to move off at an angle 𝜃() = 40∘ .
* * *
Determine the angle of the neutron, 𝜃, and the speeds of the two particles, 𝑣, and 𝑣() , after
the collision. The neutron’s initial speed is 6.2 × 10- 𝑚/𝑠.

6) [G9.59] A neon atom (m=20.0 u) makes a perfectly elastic collision with another atom at rest.
After the impact, the neon atom travels away at a 55.6° angle from its original direction and the
unknown atom travels away at a –50.0° angle. What is the mass (in u) of the unknown atom?
[Hint: You could use the law of sines.]

7) [G9.103] A 0.25-kg skeet (clay target) is fired at an angle of 28° to the ground with a speed of 25
m/s. When it reaches the maximum height, h, it is hit from below by a 15-g pellet travelling
vertically upwards at a speed of 230 m/s. The pellet is embedded in the skeet. (a) How much
higher h’ does the skeet go up? (b) How much extra distance Δx does the skeet travel because of
the collision?

Answers to selected questions

./! 012
1. (a) 𝑣" = : '3/"
(b) 30 m/s
2. (c)(i) 2.58 × 10%' 𝑁 (ii) 0.317 𝑐𝑚' (iii) Lower
5 5
3. (a) 𝐼⃗ = 12.0 𝑁𝑠 𝚤̂; (b) 𝑣⃗4 = 4.80 6 𝚤̂; (c) 𝑣⃗4 = 2.80 6 𝚤̂; (d) 𝐹⃗782 = 2.40 𝑁 𝚤̂
4. (a) (magnitude) 499 Ns, (b) 301 mg = 191737 N, (c) 7 mg = 4459 N
*
5. 𝑣() = 1.899 × 10- 𝑚/𝑠; 𝑣,* = 4.899 × 10- 𝑚/𝑠; 𝜃,* = 85.6∘
6. 39.9 u
7. (a) 8.6 m; (b) 38.4 m