Impulse, Momentum,

and Collisions
PHY01 – General Physics 1
Senior High School Department
Impulse
• The impulse 𝐽Ԧ of a force is the product
of the average force 𝐹Ԧ and the time
interval ∆𝑡 during which the force acts.
• Impulse is a vector quantity and has the
same direction as the average force.

𝐽Ԧ = 𝐹∆𝑡
Ԧ
SI Unit: Newton ∙ second (𝑁 ∙ 𝑠)
Linear Momentum
• The linear momentum 𝑝Ԧ of an object is
the product of the object's mass m and
velocity 𝑣.
Ԧ
• Linear momentum is a vector quantity
that points in the same direction as the
velocity.

𝑝Ԧ = 𝑚𝑣Ԧ
SI Unit: kilogram ∙ meter/second (kg∙ 𝑚Τ𝑠)
Impulse-Momentum Theorem
• When a net average force σ 𝐹Ԧ acts on an object during a time interval
Δ𝑡 the impulse of this force is equal to the change in momentum of
the object:

෍ 𝐹Ԧ ∆𝑡 = 𝑚𝑣Ԧ𝑓 − 𝑚𝑣Ԧ𝑖
Impulse-Momentum Theorem
• Example
• A baseball (m = 0.14 kg) has an initial velocity of 𝑣Ԧ𝑖 = −38 𝑚/s as it
approaches a bat. We have chosen the direction of approach as the negative
direction. The bat applies an average force 𝐹Ԧ that is much larger than the
weight of the ball, and the ball departs from the bat with a final velocity
of 𝑣Ԧ𝑓 = +58 𝑚/𝑠.
(a) Determine the impulse applied to the ball by the bat.
(b) Assuming that the time of contact is Δt = 1.6 × 10−3 s, find the average force
exerted on the ball by the bat.

𝐽Ԧ = 13.4 𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚Τ𝑠
𝐹Ԧ = 8400 𝑁
Impulse-Momentum Theorem
• Example
• During a storm, rain comes straight down with a velocity of 𝑣Ԧ𝑖 = −15 𝑚Τ𝑠
and hits the roof of a car perpendicularly. The mass of rain per second that
strikes the car roof is 0.060 kg/s. Assuming that the rain comes to rest upon
striking the car, find the average force exerted by the rain on the roof.

𝐹Ԧ = −0.90 𝑁
Conservation of Linear Momentum
• The total linear momentum of an isolated system remains constant (is
conserved)

𝑚1 𝑣Ԧ1𝑖 + 𝑚2 𝑣Ԧ2𝑖 = 𝑚1 𝑣Ԧ𝑓1 + 𝑚2 𝑣Ԧ2𝑓

• The total linear momentum of an isolated system remains constant (is

conserved). An isolated system is one for which the vector sum of the
average external forces acting on the system is zero.
Conservation of Linear Momentum
• Example
• A freight train is being assembled in a switching yard. Car 1 has a mass of
m1 = 65 × 103 kg and moves at a velocity of v01 = +0.80 m/s. Car 2, with a mass
of m2 = 92 × 103 kg and a velocity of v02 = +1.3 m/s, overtakes car 1 and
couples to it. Neglecting friction, find the common velocity vf of the cars after
they become coupled.

𝑣𝑓 = +1.1 𝑚Τ𝑠
Conservation of Linear Momentum
• Example
• Starting from rest, two skaters push off against each other on smooth level
ice, where friction is negligible. One is a woman (m1 = 54 kg), and one is a
man (m2 = 88 kg). The woman moves away with a velocity of vf1 = +2.5 m/s.
Find the “recoil” velocity vf2 of the man.

𝑣𝑓 = −1.5 𝑚Τ𝑠
Collisions
• Two types of Collision:
• Elastic Collision: One in which the total kinetic energy of
the system after the collision is equal to the total kinetic
energy before the collision.
• Inelastic collision: One in which the total kinetic energy
of the system is not the same before and after the
collision; if the objects stick together after colliding, the
collision is said to be completely inelastic.
Elastic Collision
• Linear Momentum is conserved.

𝑚1 𝑣Ԧ1𝑖 + 𝑚2 𝑣Ԧ2𝑖 = 𝑚1 𝑣Ԧ𝑓1 + 𝑚2 𝑣Ԧ2𝑓

• Kinetic Energy is conserved.

1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
𝑚1 𝑣1𝑖 + 𝑚2 𝑣2𝑖 = 𝑚1 𝑣1𝑓 + 𝑚2 𝑣2𝑓
2 2 2 2

𝑣1𝑖 + 𝑣1𝑓 = 𝑣2𝑖 + 𝑣2𝑓

Elastic Collision
• Example
• The figure illustrates an elastic head-on
collision between two balls. One ball has
a mass of m1 = 0.250 kg and an initial
velocity of +5.00 m/s. The other has a
mass of m2 = 0.800 kg and is initially at
rest. No external forces act on the balls.
What are the velocities of the balls after
the collision?
𝑣1𝑓 = −2.62 𝑚Τ𝑠
𝑣2𝑓 = 2.38 𝑚Τ𝑠
Elastic Collision
• Example
• In the figure, block 1 approaches a line of two stationary blocks with a velocity
of v1i = 10 m/s. It collides with block 2, which then collides with block 3, which
has mass m3 = 6.0 kg. After the second collision, block 2 is again stationary
and block 3 has velocity v3f = 5.0 m/s. Assume that the collisions are elastic.
What are the masses of blocks 1 and 2? What is the final velocity v1f of block
1?

𝑚1 = 2 𝑘𝑔
𝑚2 = 6 𝑘𝑔
𝑣1𝑓 = −5 𝑚Τ𝑠
Completely Inelastic Collision
• Example:
• A ballistic pendulum can be used to measure the speed of a
projectile, such as a bullet. The ballistic pendulum shown in the
figure consists of a stationary 2.50-kg block of wood suspended by
a wire of negligible mass. A 0.0100-kg bullet is fired into the block,
and the block (with the bullet in it) swings to a maximum height of
0.650 m above the initial position (see part b of the drawing). Find
the speed with which the bullet is fired, assuming that air
resistance is negligible.

𝑣1𝑓 = 896 𝑚Τ𝑠

Collisions in Two or More Dimensions
• Momentum is a vector quantity therefore in two or more dimensions
the components of the total momentum are conserved separately.

• For two dimensions

෍ 𝑚𝑣𝑖𝑥 = ෍ 𝑚𝑣𝑓𝑥

෍ 𝑚𝑣𝑖𝑦 = ෍ 𝑚𝑣𝑓𝑦
Collisions in Two or More Dimensions
• Example
• The drawing shows a collision between two
pucks on an air-hockey table. Puck A has a
mass of 0.025 kg and is moving along
the x axis with a velocity of +5.5 m/s. It makes
a collision with puck B, which has a mass of
0.050 kg and is initially at rest. The collision is
not head-on. After the collision, the two pucks
fly apart with the angles shown in the
drawing. Find the final speeds of (a)puck A
and (b)puck B.
𝑣𝐴𝑓 = 3.38 𝑚Τ𝑠
𝑣𝐵𝑓 = 2.54 𝑚Τ𝑠
Center of Mass
• The center of mass is a point that represents the average location for
the total mass of a system.

𝑚1 𝑥1 + 𝑚2 𝑥2
𝑥𝑐𝑜𝑚 =
𝑚1 𝑚2
Center of Mass
• General formula:

σ 𝑚𝑥
𝑥𝑐𝑜𝑚 =
σ𝑚

• For two or more dimensions, center of mass can be computed per

dimension/component
Center of Mass
• Three particles of masses m1 = 1.2 kg, m2 = 2.5 kg, and m3 = 3.4 kg
form an equilateral triangle of edge length a = 140 cm. Where is the
center of mass of this system?

• When drawn on quadrant one with one particle at the origin and another on
the x axis:
𝑥𝑐𝑜𝑚 = 83 𝑐𝑚
𝑦𝑐𝑜𝑚 =58 cm
References
• Young, D. P., Stadler, S., Cutnell, J. D., & Johnson, K. W. (2018). Cutnell
& Johnson Physics. John Wiley & Sons.
• Halliday, D., Resnick, R., & Walker, J. (2016). Principles of Physics
Extended, International Student Version. India: Wiley India Pvt. Ltd.