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Physics 6A
Impulse
if the momentum of an object changes, then either its mass or its velocity must have
changed. In most cases, we will consider the mass to be constant, so a change in
momentum will mean the object accelerated (velocity changed).
So there must have been a force applied to it. This gives us a formula:
p Favg t This is just Newton’s 2nd Law – can you see why?
Impulse
if the momentum of an object changes, then either its mass or its velocity must have
changed. In most cases, we will consider the mass to be constant, so a change in
momentum will mean the object accelerated (velocity changed).
So there must have been a force applied to it. This gives us a formula:
p Favg t This is just Newton’s 2nd Law – can you see why?
p m v
Solve this for Favg to get Favg ma
t t Prepared by Vince Zaccone
For Campus Learning
Assistance Services at UCSB
Typical Impulse Example:
A golf ball (initially at rest) is struck by a club, and the ball is given a
velocity of 50 m/s.
If the mass of the ball is 46 grams and the club is in contact with
the ball for 5 ms, what is the average force applied to the ball by
the club?
vboy=?? v=3m/s
v=5m/s
BEFORE AFTER
vboy=?? v=3m/s
v=5m/s
BEFORE AFTER
This is a perfectly inelastic collision (they stick together). So we only need conservation of momentum.
Write down the initial and final momentum for the system, then set them equal.
vboy=?? v=3m/s
v=5m/s
BEFORE AFTER
This is a perfectly inelastic collision (they stick together). So we only need conservation of momentum.
Write down the initial and final momentum for the system, then set them equal.
pf pi
(100kg 50kg)(3 ms ) (100kg)(5 ms ) (50kg)( v boy )
vboy=?? v=3m/s
v=5m/s
BEFORE AFTER
This is a perfectly inelastic collision (they stick together). So we only need conservation of momentum.
Write down the initial and final momentum for the system, then set them equal.
pf pi
(100kg 50kg)(3 ms ) (100kg)(5 ms ) (50kg)( v boy )
v boy 1 ms
vboy=?? v=3m/s
v=5m/s
BEFORE AFTER
This is a perfectly inelastic collision (they stick together). So we only need conservation of momentum.
Write down the initial and final momentum for the system, then set them equal.
pf pi
(100kg 50kg)(3 ms ) (100kg)(5 ms ) (50kg)( v boy )
v boy 1 ms Why is the answer negative? What does that
mean?
Prepared by Vince Zaccone
For Campus Learning
Assistance Services at UCSB
Example: A 100kg man and a 50kg boy are at a father-son ice skating jamboree.
The man skates toward his son at a speed of 5 m/s, and picks the boy up and puts
him on his shoulders. If their final speed is 3 m/s, find the initial velocity of the boy.
vboy=-1m/s v=3m/s
v=5m/s
BEFORE AFTER
This is a perfectly inelastic collision (they stick together). So we only need conservation of momentum.
Write down the initial and final momentum for the system, then set them equal.
pf pi
(100kg 50kg)(3 ms ) (100kg)(5 ms ) (50kg)( v boy )
v boy 1 ms The boy is initially moving toward his father.
BEFORE AFTER
BEFORE AFTER
Since the collision is elastic we can use the formulas on page 266 of your book:
mA mB 2mA
v A,f v A,i vB,f v A,i
mA mB mA mB
b b
a a
BEFORE AFTER
Since the collision is elastic we can use the formulas on page 266 of your book:
m mB 2mA
v A,f v A,i A vB,f v A,i
mA mB mA mB
45g 135g 2(45g)
v A,f 10 m vB,f 10 m
s s 45g 135g
45g 135g
v A,f 5 m vB,f 5 m
s s
b b
a a
BEFORE AFTER
Since the collision is elastic we can use the formulas on page 266 of your book:
m mB 2mA
v A,f v A,i A vB,f v A,i
mA mB mA mB
45g 135g 2(45g)
v A,f 10 m vB,f 10 m
s s 45g 135g
45g 135g
v A,f 5 m vB,f 5 m
s s
Important note: The relative speed of the balls is the same before and
after the collision. This will always hold true for head-on elastic collisions.
Prepared by Vince Zaccone
For Campus Learning
Assistance Services at UCSB
Example: A golf ball (45 grams) rolls toward a billiard ball (135 grams). The initial
speed of the golf ball is 10 m/s, and the 8-ball is moving toward the golf ball at 5 m/s.
Find the final velocity of each ball. Assume the collision is elastic.
Vb=??
Va=??
10 m/s
b b
a a
5 m/s
BEFORE AFTER
Now let’s see what happens if BOTH objects are moving before the collision.
The shortcut formulas will only work if one of the objects is at rest, so we have
to switch our point of view before we can plug in the numbers.
We need to subtract the velocity of one of the objects from both initial velocities,
then use the formula, then add back the velocity to get the final answer.
In this case, let’s say the 8-Ball is at rest. That gives a new initial velocity for
the golf ball of 10 m/s – (-5 m/s) = 15 m/s.
b b
a a
5 m/s
BEFORE AFTER
m mB 2mA
v A,f v A,i A vB,f v A,i
mA mB mA mB
45g 135g 2(45g)
v A,f 15 m vB,f 15 m
s s 45g 135g
45g 135g
v A,f 7.5 m vB,f 7.5 m
s s
Notice that the relative speed of the balls is still the same before and after
the collision. This will always hold true for head-on elastic collsions.
Prepared by Vince Zaccone
For Campus Learning
Assistance Services at UCSB
Example: This one will be 2-dimensional. Two hockey players are initially skating as
shown in the figure. They collide, and stick together. Find their final velocity
(magnitude and direction).
vfinal=?
40°
Player B
Player A Mass 80kg
Mass 90kg v=4 m/s
v=6 m/s
40°
Player B
Player A Mass 80kg
Mass 90kg v=4 m/s
v=6 m/s
40°
Player B
Player A Mass 80kg
Mass 90kg v=4 m/s
v=6 m/s
y direction
(90kg) (3.9 m ) (80kg) ( 4 m ) (170kg) v f ,y
s s
v f , y 3 .9 m
s
Prepared by Vince Zaccone
For Campus Learning
Assistance Services at UCSB
Example: This one will be 2-dimensional. Two hockey players are initially skating as
shown in the figure. They collide, and stick together. Find their final velocity
(magnitude and direction).
y direction
(90kg) (3.9 m ) (80kg) ( 4 m ) (170kg) v f ,y
s s
v f , y 3 .9 m
s
Prepared by Vince Zaccone
For Campus Learning
Assistance Services at UCSB
Example: This one will be 2-dimensional. Two hockey players are initially skating as
shown in the figure. They collide, and stick together. Find their final velocity
(magnitude and direction).