Chapter 8

Momentum, Impulse, and Collisions

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Momentum and Newton’s second law
• The momentum of a
particle is the product
of its mass
andits
velocity: p = mv .
• Newton’s second law
can be written in
terms of momentum
 d p
as  F  .
dt
Impulse
The impulse of a force is the product of the force and the
time interval during which it acts.
  
J =  F  t2 – t1    F t
J is defined as the impulse
Vector quantity, the direction is the same as the direction
of the force.
Impulse and momentum

• On a graph of Fx versus time,

the impulse is equal to the area
under the curve.
 t2 
J =   F dt
t1
Impulse and momentum theorem
• Impulse-momentum theorem:
The change in momentum of a
particle during a time interval
is equal to the impulse of the
net force acting on the particle
during that interval.
  
J = p2 – p1
Remember Newton’s 2nd Law:
 d p
 F  dt .
Q8.2
You are testing a new car using crash test dummies. Consider two
ways to slow the car from 90 km/h (56 mi/h) to a complete stop:
(i) You let the car slam into a wall, bringing it to a sudden stop.
(ii) You let the car plow into a giant tub of gelatin so that it comes
to a gradual halt.
In which case is there a greater impulse of the net force on the car?

A. in case (i)
B. in case (ii)
C. The impulse is the same in both cases.
D. not enough information given to decide

  
J = p2 – p1
 Q8.1

A ball (mass 0.40 kg) is

initially moving to the
left at 30 m/s. After
hitting the wall, the ball
is moving to the right at
20 m/s. What is the
impulse of the net A. 20 kg • m/s to the right
force on the ball during
B. 20 kg • m/s to the left
its collision with the
wall? C. 4.0 kg • m/s to the right
D. 4.0 kg • m/s to the left
E. none of the above
Problem #1 Example from the text book.
 An isolated system
– The total momentum of a system of particles is the vector sum
of the momenta of the individual particles.
– No external forces act on the isolated system consisting of the
two astronauts shown below, so the total momentum of this
system is conserved.

Remember Newton’s 2nd Law:

∑F = ∆p / ∆t

When ∑F is zero
∆ptotal = 0
Conservation of momentum
• External forces (the normal
force and gravity) act on the
skaters shown in Figure at
the right, but their vector
sum is zero. Therefore the
total momentum of the
skaters is conserved.
• Conservation of momentum:
If the vector sum of the
external forces on a system
is zero, the total momentum
of the system is constant.
Remember that momentum is a vector!
• When applying conservation
of momentum, remember
that momentum is a vector
quantity!
• Use vector addition to add
momenta,.
Objects colliding along a straight line
• In any collision in which the external forces can be
neglected, the total momentum is conserved.

VA2x = ?
∆ptotal = 0
Q8.3

A 3.00-kg rifle fires a 0.00500-kg bullet at a speed of 300

m/s. Which force is greater in magnitude:
(i) the force that the rifle exerts on the bullet; or
(ii) the force that the bullet exerts on the rifle?

A. the force that the rifle exerts on the bullet

B. the force that the bullet exerts on the rifle
C. both forces have the same magnitude
D. not enough information given to decide
Example: Recoil of a rifle
A 3.00-kg rifle fires a 0.00500-kg bullet at a speed of 300
m/s. What is the recoil velocity of rifle?
Example from the text book.
Problem# 2
A curling stone, with a mass of 20.0 kg, slides across the ice at
1.50 m/s. It collides head on with a stationary 0.160-kg hockey
puck. After the collision, the puck’s speed is 2.50 m/s. What is
the stone’s final velocity?

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/collision-lab/collision-lab_en.h
tml

Slide 9-23
A two-dimensional collision
• Two robots collide
and go off at
different angles.
P1x= P2x

P1y= P2y
Problem #3: An automobile collision

Example from the text book.

Types of Collisions
• In an elastic collision, both momentum and
kinetic energy are conserved
• In an inelastic collision, momentum is
conserved but kinetic energy is not
• In a completely inelastic collision, momentum
is conserved, kinetic energy is not, and the two
objects stick together after the collision, so
their final velocities are the same
.
Elastic collisions
 
Elastic collisions
• One object is initially at rest.

• Inserting VB = 0 in equation on previous slide

Result:
VA2 = ( mA – mB / mA + mB )VA1
VB2 = ( 2mA / mA + mB )VA1
Elastic collisions
Case II: mA <<mB

Case I: mA = mB

Case III: mB <<mA

Inelastic collisions

• In an inelastic collision, the

total kinetic energy after the
collision is less than before the
collision.
• A collision in which the bodies
stick together is called a
completely inelastic collision
Some inelastic collisions

• Cars are intended to have

inelastic collisions so the car
absorbs as much energy as
possible.
Problem# 4
Jack stands at rest on a skateboard. The mass of Jack and the
skateboard together is 75 kg. Ryan throws a 3.0 kg ball
horizontally to the right at 4.0 m/s to Jack, who catches it.
What is the final speed of Jack and the skateboard?

Slide 9-26
The ballistic pendulum
Example from the text book.
• Ballistic pendulums are used to
measure bullet speeds.  It
consists of a wooden block
suspended from two long cords
so that it can swing only in the
vertical direction.
Problem# 5

A bullet with mass mB hits a

ballistic pendulum with
length L and mass mw and
lodges in it. When the bullet
hits the pendulum it swings
up from the equilibrium
position and reaches a
height y. Determine the
bullet’s velocity.
Rocket propulsion
• As a rocket burns fuel, its mass decreases.
Center of mass
All of the weight of the object can be considered
to be concentrated at a single point called
center of mass or center of gravity.
Center of mass of symmetrical objects

• It is easy to find the center

of mass of a homogeneous
symmetric object.
Motion of the center of mass

• The total momentum of a system

is equal to the total mass times
the velocity of the center of mass.

P = MVcm

• The center of mass of the wrench

in Figure at the right moves as
though all the mass were
concentrated there.
External forces and center-of-mass motion
• When a body or collection of particles is acted upon by
external forces, the center of mass moves as though all the
mass were concentrated there.
Q8.9
A yellow block and a red rod are joined together. Each object
is of uniform density. The center of mass of the combined object
is at the position shown by the black “X.”
Which has the greater mass, the yellow block or the red rod?

A. the yellow block

B. the red rod
C. They both have the same mass.
D. not enough information given to decide
A8.9
A yellow block and a red rod are joined together. Each object
is of uniform density. The center of mass of the combined object
is at the position shown by the black “X.”
Which has the greater mass, the yellow block or the red rod?

A. the yellow block

B. the red rod
C. They both have the same mass.
D. not enough information given to decide
Example: Tug-of-war on the ice

Find the center of mass of the following system.

Example from the text book.