Applied Physics

Lec – 5: Momentum
 Momentum Defined
Momentum can be defined as "mass in motion."
All objects have mass; so if an object is moving,
then it has momentum.

p=mv
p = momentum vector
m = mass
v = velocity vector
 Momentum Facts
•p=mv
• Momentum is a vector quantity!
• Velocity and momentum vectors point in the same direction.
• SI unit for momentum: kg · m /s
 Momentum Facts
•Momentum is a conserved quantity
• A net force is required to change a body’s momentum.
• Momentum is directly proportional to both mass and speed.
• Something big and slow could have the same momentum as
something small and fast.
 Momentum Examples

3 m /s 30 kg · m /s
10 kg 10 kg

9 km /s p = 45 kg · m /s at 26º to the
5g 26º East
 Impulse Defined
Impulse is defined as the product of the force acting on an object and the
time during which the force acts. The symbol for impulse is J. So, by
definition:
J=Ft
Example: A 50 N force is applied to a 100 kg boulder for 3 s. The
impulse of this force is J = (50 N) (3 s) = 150 N · s.
Note that we didn’t need to know the mass of the object in the above
example.
 Impulse - Momentum Theorem
The impulse due to all forces acting on an object (the net force) is
equal to the change in momentum of the object:

Fnet t =  p
Fnet t = m a t = m ( v / t) t = m  v =  p
 Stopping Time Ft = Ft
Imagine a car hitting a wall and coming to rest. The force on the car due
to the wall is large (big F ), but that force only acts for a small amount of
time (little t ). Now imagine the same car moving at the same speed but
this time hitting a giant haystack and coming to rest. The force on the
car is much smaller now (little F ), but it acts for a much longer time (big
t ). In each case the impulse involved is the same since the change in
momentum of the car is the same. Any net force, no matter how small,
can bring an object to rest if it has enough time. A pole vaulter can fall
from a great height without getting hurt because the mat applies a
smaller force over a longer period of time than the ground alone would.
 Impulse - Momentum Example
A 1.3 kg ball is coming straight at a 75 kg soccer player at 13 m/s who
kicks it in the exact opposite direction at 22 m/s with an average force
of 1200 N. How long are his foot and the ball in contact?
 Impulse - Momentum Example
A 1.3 kg ball is coming straight at a 75 kg soccer player at 13 m/s who
kicks it in the exact opposite direction at 22 m/s with an average force
of 1200 N. How long are his foot and the ball in contact?
answer: We’ll use Fnet t =  p.
Since the ball changes direction,
 p = m  v = m (vf - v0)
= 1.3 [22 - (-13)] = (1.3 kg) (35 m/s)
= 45.5 kg · m /s. Thus, t = 45.5 / 1200 = 0.0379 s
Fnet (N) Fnet vs. t graph
Net area =  p

t (s)
6

A variable strength net force acts on an object in the positive direction

for 6 s, thereafter in the opposite direction. Since impulse is Fnet t, the
area under the curve is equal to the impulse, which is the change in
momentum. The net change in momentum is the area above the curve
minus the area below the curve.
 Conservation of Momentum in 1-D
Whenever two objects collide (or when they exert forces on each other
without colliding, such as gravity) momentum of the system (both
objects together) is conserved. This mean the total momentum of the
objects is the same before and after the collision.
(Choosing right as the + direction, m2 has - momentum.)
before: p = m1 v1 - m2 v2
v1 v2
m1 m2

m1 v1 - m2 v2 = - m1 va + m2 vb
after: p = - m1 va + m2 vb
va vb
m1 m2
 Directions after a collision
On the last slide the boxes were drawn going in the opposite direction
after colliding. This isn’t always the case. For example, when a bat hits
a ball, the ball changes direction, but the bat doesn’t. It doesn’t really
matter, though, which way we draw the velocity vectors in “after”
picture. If we solved the conservation of momentum equation (red box)
for vb and got a negative answer, it would mean that m2 was still moving
to the left after the collision. As long as we interpret our answers
correctly, it matters not how the velocity vectors are drawn.
v1 v2
m1 m2

m1 v1 - m2 v2 = - m1 va + m2 vb
va vb
m1 m2
 Sample Problem 1
35 g
7 kg 700 m/s
v=0
A rifle fires a bullet into a giant slab of butter on a frictionless surface.
The bullet penetrates the butter, but while passing through it, the bullet
pushes the butter to the left, and the butter pushes the bullet just as
hard to the right, slowing the bullet down. If the butter skids off at 4
cm/s after the bullet passes through it, what is the final speed of the
bullet?
(The mass of the rifle matters not.)
35 g
7 kg
v=? 4 cm/s
 Sample Problem 1 (cont.)
Let’s choose left to be the + direction & use conservation of
momentum, converting all units to meters and kilograms.
35 g
p before = 7 (0) + (0.035) (700) 7 kg
700 m/s
= 24.5 kg · m /s v=0

35 g p after = 7 (0.04) + 0.035 v

7 kg
v=? 4 cm/s
= 0.28 + 0.035 v

p before = p after 24.5 = 0.28 + 0.035 v v = 692 m/s

v came out positive. This means we chose the correct

direction of the bullet in the “after” picture.
 Sample Problem 2
35 g
7 kg 700 m/s
v=0
Same as the last problem except this time it’s a block of wood rather
than butter, and the bullet does not pass all the way through it. How fast
do they move together after impact?

v
 Sample Problem 2
35 g
7 kg 700 m/s
v=0
Same as the last problem except this time it’s a block of wood rather
than butter, and the bullet does not pass all the way through it. How fast
do they move together after impact?

v
7. 035 kg

(0.035) (700) = 7.035 v v = 3.48 m/s

Note: Once again we’re assuming a frictionless surface, otherwise there
would be a frictional force on the wood in addition to that of the bullet,
and the “system” would have to include the table as well.
 Conservation of Momentum applies
only in the absence of external forces
In the first two sample problems, we dealt with a frictionless
surface. We couldn’t simply conserve momentum if friction had
been present because there would be another force (friction) in
addition to the contact forces. Friction wouldn’t cancel out, and it
would be a net force on the system.

The only way to conserve momentum with an external force like

friction is to make it internal by including the tabletop, floor, or the
entire Earth as part of the system.
 Sample Problem 3
A crate of raspberry donut filling collides with a tub of lime Kool Aid
on a frictionless surface. Which way on how fast does the Kool Aid
rebound?

before
10 m/s 6 m/s
3 kg 15 kg

after
4.5 m/s v
3 kg 15 kg
 Sample Problem 3 Solution
A crate of raspberry donut filling collides with a tub of lime Kool Aid
on a frictionless surface. Which way on how fast does the Kool Aid
rebound? answer: Let’s draw v to the right in the after picture.
3 (10) - 6 (15) = -3 (4.5) + 15 v v = -3.1 m/s
Since v came out negative, we guessed wrong in drawing v to the
right, but that’s OK as long as we interpret our answer correctly.
After the collision the lime Kool Aid is moving 3.1 m/s to the left.
before
10 m/s 6 m/s
3 kg 15 kg

after
4.5 m/s v
3 kg 15 kg
 Momentum in 2-D
• In 2-dimensional situations where momentum is conserved, the
conservation law must be applied along each axis independently.
 Momentum in 2-D
• Suppose that an object of mass m1, moving with initial speed vi1,
strikes a second object, of mass m2, which is initially at rest.

• Suppose, further, that after the collision the first object moves off at
an angle θ1 to its initial direction of motion, whereas the second object
moves off at an angle θ2 to this direction.

• Let the final speeds of the two objects be vf1 and vf2.
 Example – 2D
• A 900-kg car traveling east at 15 m/s collides with a 750-kg car traveling
north at 20 m/s. The cars stick together. With what velocity does the
wreckage move just after the collision?
• Given:
v1ix = 15 m/s; v1iy = 0
v2ix = 0; v2iy = 20 m/s
m1 = 900 kg
m2 = 750 kg

• To find: vf
• Along x-axis:

- (1)

• Along y-axis:

- (2)
• To eliminate vf, divide eq (2) by eq (1).
• Solve eq (1) for vf and substitute.
• The answer can be verified by using eq (2):