EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY OF LEFKE

PHYSICS I/PHYSICS
LINEAR MOMENTUM

Assist. Prof. Dr. Nemika CELLATOĞLU

 3RD LAW OF NEWTON

• It will be useful to remember third law of

Newton before Linear Momentum.
LINEAR MOMENTUM AND ITS
CONSERVATION

Two particles interact with each other. According to Newton’s third

law, we must have
 LINEAR MOMENTUM AND ITS
CONSERVATION
• The mutliplication of mass and velocity vector
is known as Linear momentum of the object.

𝑝Ԧ = 𝑚𝑣Ԧ
• Linear momentum is a vector quantity
because it equals the product of a scalar
quantity m and a vector quantity 𝑣Ԧ . Its
direction is along 𝑣,
Ԧ it has dimensions
ML/T, and its SI unit is kg · m/s.
• ;
 LINEAR MOMENTUM AND ITS
CONSERVATION
• If a particle is moving in an arbitrary direction,
𝑝Ԧ has three components;

The relationship between Force and Linear Momentum can be obtained by

using Second Law of Newton;
LINEAR MOMENTUM AND ITS
CONSERVATION
 IMPULSE AND MOMENTUM
• By usind the Second Law of Newton; and the
definition of momentum, we obtain that;

If we integrate the resultant expression for the force acts over some
time interval.
 IMPULSE AND MOMENTUM
• The impulse of the net force is decribed as;

Also note that;

𝐼Ԧ = ∆𝑝Ԧ
 EXAMPLE
In a particular crash test, a car of mass 1 500 kg collides with a
wall as shown in LEFT FIGURE . The initial and final velocities of the
car are 𝑉İ = −15 𝑖 𝑚/𝑠 and 𝑉𝐹 = 2,6 𝑖 𝑚/𝑠 , respectively. If the
collision lasts 0.150 s, find the impulse caused by the collision and
the average force exerted on the car
 SOLUTION
𝐼Ԧ = ∆𝑝Ԧ
Ԧ 𝑝Ԧ𝑓 − 𝑝Ԧ𝑖
𝐼=
𝐼Ԧ = 𝑚𝑣Ԧ𝑓 − 𝑚𝑣Ԧ𝑖
𝐼Ԧ = 1500 2.60𝑖 − (1500)(−15𝑖)

𝐼Ԧ =26400kgm/s
 COLLISIONS IN ONE DIMENSION

• Collision : is an event which two objects close

to each other and interact and forces to each
other.
• There exists 3 kind of collisions
1. ELASTIC
2. INELASTIC
3. SEMI-ELASTIC
 ELASTIC COLLISION
• During an elastic collision between two
objects the total kinetic energy(as well as
total momentum) of the system is the same
before and after the collision.

𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 𝐾𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙
𝑝Ԧ𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 𝑝Ԧ𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 ELASTIC COLLISION
 ELASTIC COLLISION

Consider two particles of masses m1 and m2 moving with initial velocities 𝑣1𝑖 and
𝑣2𝑖 along the same straight line as shown in above figure. The two particles collide
head-on and then leave the collision site with different velocities, 𝑣1𝑓 and 𝑣2𝑓

In an elastic collision, both the momentum and kinetic energy of the system are
conserved. Therefore, considering velocities along the horizontal direction in
 ELASTIC COLLISION

To obtain our final result,

 INELASTIC COLLISION
• During an inelastic collision between two
objects only momentum of the system is the
same before and after the collision.

𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 > 𝐾𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙

𝑝Ԧ𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 𝑝Ԧ𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 INELASTIC COLLISION
 PERFECTLY INELASTIC COLLISION

Consider two particles of masses m1 and m2 moving with initial velocities 𝑣1𝑖
and 𝑣2𝑖 along the same straight line;

Solving for the final velocity gives;

 2 AND 3 DIMENSIONAL COLLISIONS
• If the collision is 2 or 3 dimensional (cartesian
coordinates) the conservation equations of
momentum must be solved on, x,y and z axis
seperately.
 EXAMPLE

Two objects with masses 2 kg AND 4 kg was moving with equal velocities of 10
m/s on cartesian coordinate system as shown above figure. After some time
objects collide and start to move with a common velocity. Determine the
common velocity vector of objects after collision
 SOLUTION
𝑣Ԧ1 = 𝑣1 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃𝑖 + 𝑣1 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝑗 = 8i − 6j m/s
𝑣Ԧ2 = 𝑣2 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼𝑖 + 𝑣2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼𝑗 = 6𝑖 + 8𝑗 𝑚/𝑠

𝑝Ԧ𝑖 = 𝑝Ԧ𝑓

𝑀1 𝑣Ԧ1 + 𝑀2 𝑣Ԧ2 = (𝑀1 + 𝑀2 )𝑣Ԧ𝑐𝑜𝑚

2 8𝑖 − 6𝑗 + 4 6𝑖 + 8𝑗 = 6𝑣Ԧ𝑐𝑜𝑚

40𝑖 + 20𝑗 = 6𝑣Ԧ𝑐𝑜𝑚

𝑣Ԧ𝑐𝑜𝑚 ≈ (6,67𝑖 + 3,33𝑗)𝑚/𝑠

 EXAMPLE
A ball of mass 0.440 kg moving east ( +x
direction)with a speed of 3,80 m/s collides head-
on with a 0.220-kg ball at rest. If the collision is
perfectly elastic, what will be the speed and
direction of each ball after the collision?
 SOLUTION

Note that, collision is elastic which results to conservation of both

Momentum and Kinetic Energy.
𝑝Ԧ𝑖 = 𝑝Ԧ𝑓 𝑀1 𝑣Ԧ1𝑖 + 𝑀2 𝑣Ԧ2𝑖 = 𝑀1 𝑣Ԧ1𝑓 + 𝑀2 𝑣Ԧ2𝑓
0,44 3,80 = 0,44)(𝑣1𝑓 + 0,22(𝑣2𝑓 )

7,6 = 2𝑣1𝑓 + 𝑣2𝑓

𝐾𝑖 = 𝐾𝑓
1 1 1 1
𝑀1 (𝑣1𝑖 ) + 𝑀2 (𝑣2𝑖 ) = 𝑀1 (𝑣1𝑓 ) + 𝑀2 (𝑣2𝑓 )2
2 2 2
2 2 2 2
(0,44) (3,80)2 = (0,44)(𝑣1𝑓 )2 + (0,22) (𝑣2𝑓 )2

28.88 = 2(𝑣1𝑓 )2 + (𝑣2𝑓 )2

 SOLUTION
7,6 = 2𝑣1𝑓 + 𝑣2𝑓 28.88 = 2(𝑣1𝑓 )2 + (𝑣2𝑓 )2

7,6 − 2𝑣1𝑓 = 𝑣2𝑓 → 28.88 = 2(𝑣1𝑓 )2 + (7,6 − 2𝑣1𝑓 )2

28.88 = 2(𝑣1𝑓 )2 + 57,76 − 15,2𝑣1𝑓 + 4(𝑣1𝑓 )2

6(𝑣1𝑓 )2 − 15,2𝑣1𝑓 + 28,88 = 0
(𝑣1𝑓 )2 − 6 𝑣1𝑓 + 4,81 = 0

𝑣1𝑓 = 1,27 𝑚/𝑠 𝑣2𝑓 = 5,07 𝑚/𝑠

 CENTER OF MASS
• A system may consist of a single particle or many particles with different
mass.

• Observations indicate that even if an object rotates, or several parts of a

system of objects move relative to one another, there is one point that
moves in the same path that a particle would move if subjected to the
same net force. This point is called the center of mass (abbreviated CM)
[Gıancoli]

• The general motion of an extended object (or system of objects) can be

considered as the sum of the translational motion of the CM, plus
rotational, vibrational, or other types of motion
about the CM. [Gıancoli]
 CENTER OF MASS
• If we have a system which consist of 2
particles located on x-axis;

If we have n particles in the system;

 CENTER OF MASS
• If the system is 3 dimensional, in a way that
different particles exist on xy, yz or xz plane;

The there dimensional position vector of center of mass (CM),

𝒓;
EXAMPLE

A system consists of
three particles
located as shown in
LEFT Figure. Find
the center of mass of
the system.
m1 = m2 = 1.0 kg
and m3 = 2.0 kg.
 SOLUTION

𝑚1 𝑥1 +𝑚2 𝑥2 +𝑚3 𝑥3 1 1 + 1 1 +(2)(0)

• 𝑥𝐶𝑀 = =
𝑚1 +𝑚2 +𝑚3 1+1+2
𝑥𝐶𝑀 = 2ൗ4 m = 0,5m

𝑚1 𝑦1 + 𝑚2 𝑦2 + 𝑚3 𝑦3 1 0 + 1 0 + (2)(2)
𝑦𝐶𝑀 = =
𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑚3 1+1+2
𝑦𝐶𝑀 = 1 𝑚

𝑟Ԧ𝐶𝑀 = 0,5𝑖 + 1𝑗 𝑚
 CENTER OF MASS AND
TRANSLATIONAL MOTION
• Center of Mass is important because the
motion of the CM for a system of particles an
is directly related to the net force acting on
the system.
• Simply if we consider the motion of 2 particle
on x axis(1 dimensional).
 CENTER OF MASS AND
TRANSLATIONAL MOTION
For the center of mass we can write that;
(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 )𝑥𝑐𝑚 = 𝑚1 𝑥1 + 𝑚2 𝑥2
If these particles are in motion (say, along the x axis
with velocities and respectively), then in a short
time interval each particle and the CM will have
traveled a distance ∆𝑥 = 𝑣∆𝑡

The momentum of system is;

(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 ) 𝑣Ԧ𝑐𝑚 ∆𝑡 = 𝑚1 𝑣Ԧ1 ∆𝑡 + 𝑚2 𝑣Ԧ2 ∆𝑡
 CENTER OF MASS AND
TRANSLATIONAL MOTION
(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 ) 𝑣Ԧ𝑐𝑚 = 𝑚1 𝑣Ԧ1 + 𝑚2 𝑣Ԧ2

Total momentum of system

The total (linear) momentum of a system of

particles is equal to the product of the total mass M
and the velocity of the center of mass of the system.
Or, the linear momentum of an extended object is
the product of the object’s mass and the velocity of
its CM.
 CENTER OF MASS AND
TRANSLATIONAL MOTION
If forces are acting on the particles, then the particles may be
accelerating. In a short time interval ∆𝑡 each particle’s velocity
will change by an amount ∆𝑣 = 𝑎𝑡; If we use the same
reasoning as we did to obtain
(𝑚1 +𝑚2 ) 𝑎Ԧ𝑐𝑚 = 𝑚1 𝑎Ԧ1 + 𝑚2 𝑎Ԧ2
𝑀𝑎Ԧ𝑐𝑚 = 𝐹Ԧ1 + 𝐹Ԧ2
𝑀𝑎Ԧ𝑐𝑚 = 𝐹Ԧ𝑁𝐸𝑇

That is, the sum of all the forces acting on the system is equal to
the total mass of the system times the acceleration of its center
of mass. This is Newton’s second law for a system of particles.