momentum = p = mv Physics 11: Momentum and Impulse Problems

1. An 8 N force acts on a 5 kg object for 3 sec. What impulse is given to the object? If the
impulse = Δp

object’s initial velocity was 25 m/s what is its final velocity?

2. A 6 N force acts on a 3 kg object for 10 sec. What will be the final velocity of the object if its
initial velocity was 10 m/s?
3. A 20,000 N truck is acted upon by a force that decreases its speed from 10 m/s to 5 m/s in 5
sec. What is the magnitude of the force?
4. A 2000 N force acts on a rocket of mass 1000 kg, increasing its speed from rest to 200 m/s.
How long did the force act?
5. A 700 kg car moving at 20 m/s collides with a stationary truck with mass 1400 kg. The two
vehicles interlock as a result of the collision. What is the velocity of the car/truck?
6. A rocket sits on a launch pad loaded with fuel. The igniter causes the rocket to rise off the
pad, oxidizing 100 g of fuel and ejecting it out the back of the rocket at 650 m/s. After
launch, the rocket has a mass of 3 kg. What is its speed after launch?
7. A 15 g pellet moving at 600 m/s hits a stationary 100 g block and becomes embedded in the
block. With what speed do they move off together?
8. A 0.5 kg ball traveling at 6 m/s collides head-on with a 1.0 kg ball moving in the opposite
direction at 12 m/s. The 0.5 kg ball moves away at 14 m/s in the opposite direction after the
collision. Find the velocity of the 1.0 kg ball after the collision.
9. A plastic ball of mass 0.2 kg moves at 0.6 m/s, east. It collides with a 0.1 kg ball moving at
0.8 m/s, west. After the collision, the velocity of the 0.1 kg ball is 0.6 m/s, east. What is the
velocity of the 0.2 kg ball after the collision?
10. A 25 g ball moving at 10 m/s, right, collides head-on with a 50 g ball moving at 3 m/s, left.
After the collision, the 25 g ball moves at 6 m/s, left. What is the velocity of the 50 g ball after
the collision?
11. A 3.00 kg can containing a 0.10 kg firecracker slides along a table at 2.0 m/s right. The
firecracker explodes, exiting the can at 25 m/s left. What is the speed of the can after the
explosion (assume the firecracker completely leaves the can)?
12. A thread holds two carts together that are separated by a compressed spring. The thread is
broken. One cart, with mass of 1.5 kg, moves with a velocity of 27 cm/s to the left. What is
the velocity of the other cart with mass of 4.5 kg?
0.09 m/s, right

2.9 m/s, right

5 m/s, right

0.1 m/s, west

-2 m/s

78.26 m/s

21.67 m/s up

6.67 m/s

100 sec

-2040.82 N

30 m/s

N·s; 29.8 m/s

Answers24 N·s; 24
 Solved (In Class) Momentum Problems – Examples of ΣpI = Σpf
careful: velocity is a vector – it needs an appropriate sign

Example 1:

A 1.0 kg cart (cart #1) moving at 3 m/s right, collides but doesn’t stick to a stationary 2.0 kg
cart (cart #2), resulting in both carts moving separately. Cart #1 has a final velocity of 0.50
m/s left. What is cart #2’s velocity?

Example 2:

A 1.0 kg cart (cart #1) moving at 2.0 m/s right collides and sticks (this called an inelastic
collision) to a cart (cart #2) of the same mass moving at 1.0 m/s left, resulting in both carts
moving together. What is their velocity? be careful with your sign choice