Grade 11/12
Physics
Elite Stream
Academic Year 2020/2021 – Term 2
INT-5.D
• Calculate the momentum change in a collision
using a force versus time graph for a collision.
Learning INT-5.E
objectives • Calculate the change in momentum of an
object given a nonlinear function, F(t), for a net
force acting on the object.
Calculate Impulse From Force v Time graph
Given that:
⃗
𝐽 =⃗
𝐹 ∆𝑡
Area under the graph
Therefore
Area under the graph
We can determine the impulse of a collision from the area under a Force v time graph.
When the graph is a regular geometrical shape, like the ones above it is relatively
easy to calculate the areas to determine the Impulse.
Calculate Impulse From Force v Time graph
We can determine the impulse of a collision from the area under a Force v time graph
You should note that:
The area above the x-axis is due to a force acting in the
positive direction therefore the IMPULSE acting is POSITIVE.
The area below the x-axis is due to a force acting in the
negative direction therefore the IMPULSE acting is NEGATIVE.
Be careful when a question shows a Force graph, Always look at the x-axis quantity.
If the x-axis is TIME then it is an IMPULSE question.
If the x-axis is DISPLACEMENT then it is a WORK DONE question.
Example Question
The graph below shows the force on an object of mass M as a function
of time. For the time interval 0 to 3 s, the total change in the
momentum of the object is
⃗𝐽=∆ ⃗
𝑝
∆⃗
𝑝 =𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡h𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝h
∆⃗
𝑝 =( 10 ×2 )+(−10 ×1)
∆⃗
𝑝 =10 𝑁𝑠
Practice Question
Analyze the Force vs. time graph provided and
answer the following questions:
a. What is the impulse for the interval 0 s to 3 s?
b. What is the impulse for the interval 3 s to 6 s?
c. What is the change in momentum for the
interval 0 s to 6 s?
d. What is the impulse for the interval 6 s to 20 s?
e. What is the impulse for the interval 0 s to 20 s?
Practice Question (Solution)
Analyze the Force vs. time graph provided and
answer the following questions:
a. What is the impulse for the interval 0 s to 3 s?
We need to calculate the area of the shaded
portion under the graph. This is a triangle with a
base of 3 s and a height of 3 N therefore:
The impulse is 4.5 Ns in the positive direction
Practice Question (Solution)
Analyze the Force vs. time graph provided and
answer the following questions:
b. What is the impulse for the interval 3 s to 6 s?
We need to calculate the area of the shaded portion
under the graph. This is a triangle with a base of 3 s
and a height of −3 N.
Note that the force has a negative value so is
pointing in the negative direction.
The impulse is 4.5 Ns in the negative
direction
Practice Question (Solution)
Analyze the Force vs. time graph provided and
answer the following questions:
c. What is the change in momentum for the
interval 0 s to 6 s?
We have calculated the impulse for the time
interval 0-3 s and 3-6 s.
The impulse for the time interval 0-6 is the sum of
the two impulses.
𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(0 →6 )=𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(0 → 3) + 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(3 →6 )
𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(0 →6 )=4 .5 + ( − 4.5 ) =0 𝑁𝑠
The impulse is 0 Ns
Practice Question (Solution)
Analyze the Force vs. time graph provided and
answer the following questions:
d. What is the impulse for the interval 6 s to 20 s?
We need to calculate the area of the shaded
portion under the graph. This is divided into two
areas, 6 s to 12 s and 12 s to 20 s, which we need
to sum to get the total impulse.
𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(6 →12) =6 × (− 3 ) =−18 𝑁𝑠
𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(12 → 20)=8 ×2=16 𝑁𝑠
𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(6 →20 )=𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(6 →12) + 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(12 →20)
𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(6 →20 )=( − 18 ) +1 6=−2 𝑁𝑠 The impulse is 2 Ns in the negative direction
Practice Question (Solution)
Analyze the Force vs. time graph provided and
answer the following questions:
e. What is the impulse for the interval 0 s to 20 s?
𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(0 →20) =𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(0 →6 ) + 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(6 →20 )
𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒(0 →20) =0 + ( −2 ) =−2 𝑁𝑠
The impulse is 2 Ns in the negative direction.
Calculate Impulse Using Calculus
If we are given the force as a function with respect to time F(t), then the integral of the
function with respect to time is equal to the impulse.
For example
𝑡𝑓
⃗ 2
𝐹 ( 𝑡 )=4 𝑡 −2 𝑡 + 1 𝐽 =∫ 𝐹 (𝑡 ) 𝑑𝑡
𝑡𝑖
Be careful when a question shows a Force as a function.
If force is a function of TIME F(t) then it is an IMPULSE question.
If force is a function of DISPLACEMENT F(x) then it is a WORK DONE question.
Calculate Impulse Using Calculus
Integrate
Force as a function of time. Impulse (change in momentum)
Differentiate
Force as a function of time. Momentum as a function of time.
Example
3
𝐹 ( 𝑡 ) =3 𝑘𝑡
2 𝑝 (𝑡 )= 𝑘𝑡 +𝑐
Example Question
A force, 𝐹(𝑡) = 6𝑡2− 3𝑡 +1, acts on a 7 kg mass for three seconds.
a) What impulse will the 7 kg object receive in the first three seconds?
b) If the mass started from rest, what is its final velocity?
Example Question
A force, 𝐹(𝑡) = 6𝑡2− 3𝑡 +1, acts on a 7 kg mass for three seconds.
a) What impulse will the 7 kg object receive in the first three seconds?
𝑡𝑓
⃗
𝐽 =∫ ⃗
𝐹 (𝑡 ) 𝑑𝑡
𝑡𝑖
⃗𝐽 =?
3
⃗ 2 𝐽 =∫ (6 𝑡 2 − 3𝑡 +1) 𝑑𝑡
⃗
𝐹 ( 𝑡 )=6 𝑡 − 3 𝑡 +1 0
| |
3
𝑡 𝑓 =3 𝑠 ⃗ 3
𝐽 = 2𝑡 3 − 𝑡 2+𝑡
2 0
𝑡 𝑖 =0 𝑠
⃗
[ 3
] [ 3
𝐽 = 2(3)3 − ( 3 )2 +3 − 2 (0)3 − ( 0 )2 +0
2 2 ]
⃗𝐽 =43.5 𝑁𝑠
The impulse calculated 43.5 Ns is required to answer the next part of the question.
Example Question
A force, 𝐹(𝑡) = 6𝑡2− 3𝑡 +1, acts on a 7 kg mass for three seconds.
b) If the mass started from rest, what is its final velocity?
⃗𝐽=⃗
𝐹 𝑎𝑣𝑔 ∆ 𝑡=∆ ⃗
𝑝 =𝑚(⃗𝑣 − ⃗𝑣 0)
⃗𝐽 =𝑚( ⃗𝑣−⃗
𝑣 0)
⃗𝐽
⃗ = +𝑣
𝑣 ⃗0
⃗ 0 =0 𝑚/ 𝑠
𝑣 𝑚
43.5
⃗ =?
𝑣 ⃗=
𝑣 +0
7
𝑣⃗ =6.2𝑚 /𝑠
Practice Questions
time t by the equation F(t) = αt – β t 2 , where α = 400 N/s and β = 4000 N/s 2 . The
1. The force F exerted on a ball during a collision with a wall is given as a function of
ball first contacts the wall at t = 0, and the collision lasts for 0.10 s. What is the
magnitude of the change in momentum of the ball?
2. The magnitude of a force as a function of time can be represented by F(t)=Rt2−St+Z.
The direction of the force does not change. If the force is exerted on an object of
mass M, the change in velocity of the object between t=0 and t=T seconds is
Hint for question 2
Step 1 Calculate impulse
Step 2 Use to calculate
Practice Questions
the equation F(t) = αt – β t 2 , where α = 400 N/s and β = 4000 N/s 2 . The ball first contacts
1. The force F exerted on a ball during a collision with a wall is given as a function of time t by
the wall at t = 0, and the collision lasts for 0.10 s. What is the magnitude of the change in
momentum of the ball?
𝑡𝑓
⃗
𝐽 =∫ ⃗
𝐹 (𝑡 ) 𝑑𝑡
⃗𝐽 =? 𝑡𝑖
0.10
⃗
𝐹 ( 𝑡 )=𝛼 𝑡 − 𝛽 𝑡 2
𝐽 = ∫ (𝛼 𝑡 − 𝛽 𝑡 ) 𝑑𝑡
⃗ 2
𝛼=400 𝑁 / 𝑠
| |
2 3 0.1
2
⃗𝐽 = 𝛼 𝑡 − 𝛽 𝑡
𝛽=4000 𝑁 / 𝑠 2 3 0
[ ][ ]
2 3 2 3
𝑡 𝑓 =0.10 𝑠 ⃗𝐽 = 400( 0.10) 4000 (0.10) 400( 0) 4000 (0)
− − −
2 3 2 3
𝑡 𝑖 =0 𝑠 ⃗𝐽 =0.67 𝑁𝑠
Practice Questions
2. The magnitude of a force as a function of time can be represented by F(t)=Rt2−St+Z.
The direction of the force does not change. If the force is exerted on an object of mass M,
the change in velocity of the object between t=0 and t=T seconds is
𝑡𝑓
⃗
𝐽 =∫ ⃗
𝐹 (𝑡 ) 𝑑𝑡
𝑡𝑖
Step 1 Calculate impulse 𝑇
⃗𝐽 =∫ ( 𝑅 𝑡 2 − 𝑆𝑡 + 𝑍) 𝑑𝑡
⃗𝐽 =? 0
| |
3 2 𝑇
⃗
𝐹 ( 𝑡 )=𝑅 𝑡 2 − 𝑆𝑡 + 𝑍 ⃗𝐽= 𝑅 𝑡 − 𝑆 𝑡 + 𝑍𝑡
3 2 0
][ ]
𝑡 𝑓 =𝑇 𝑠
[
3 2 3 2
⃗𝐽 = 𝑅 𝑇 𝑆 𝑇 𝑅( 0) 𝑆 ( 0)
− + 𝑍𝑇 − − + 𝑍 ( 0)
3 2 3 2
𝑡 𝑖 =0 𝑠
3 2
⃗𝐽 = 𝑅 𝑇 − 𝑆 𝑇 + 𝑍𝑇 𝑁𝑠 This impulse is required to answer
3 2 the next part of the question.
Practice Questions
2. The magnitude of a force as a function of time can be represented by F(t)=Rt2−St+Z.
The direction of the force does not change. If the force is exerted on an object of
mass M, the change in velocity of the object between t=0 and t=T seconds is
Step 2 Use to calculate
⃗𝐽 1
3 2
⃗𝐽 = 𝑅 𝑇 − 𝑆 𝑇 + 𝑍𝑇 ∆⃗ ⃗
𝑣= = 𝐽 ×
3 2 𝑚 𝑚
m
∆⃗
𝑣=
3 (
𝑅 𝑇3 𝑆 𝑇2
−
2
+ 𝑍𝑇 ×
1
𝑀 )
3 2
𝑅 𝑇 𝑆 𝑇 𝑍𝑇
∆⃗
𝑣= − +
3𝑀 2𝑀 𝑀
Impulse Summary
There are three methods to solve IMPULSE problems, depending on the question
Algebra using the equation
⃗𝐽=⃗
𝐹 𝑎𝑣𝑔 ∆ 𝑡=∆ ⃗
𝑝 =𝑚(⃗
𝑣−⃗
𝑣 0)
Graphically using the area under a Force v time graph
Calculus using the integral of Force as a function of time F(t)
𝑡𝑓
𝐽 =∫ 𝐹 (𝑡 ) 𝑑𝑡
𝑡𝑖
