Physics Assignment Help |Conservation of Linear

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C Co on ns se er rv va at ti io on n o of f L Li in ne ea ar r M Mo om me en nt tu um m
The product of velocity and the mass of a particle is called as its linear momentum
,
P

.
P mv

=
The magnitude of linear momentum can be written as
P = mv
Or
2 2 2 2
1
P m v 2m mv 2mK
2
| |
= = =
|
\ .
Thus,
2
P
P 2Km or K
2m
= =
Here, K is the kinetic energy of the particle. In according to the Newtons second law,
,
d mv
dv dv
F ma m
dt dt dt

= = = =
Thus,
dP
F
dt

=
In case the external force applied to a body be zero, we have
dP
F 0 or P constant
dt

= = =
Showing that in the absence of an external force, the linear momentum of a particle keeps constant. This
is known as the law of conservation of linear momentum. The law may be extended to an object of
particles or to the centre of mass of a system of particles. For example, for an object of particles it takes
the form.
If net force on a system of bodies is zero, the vector addition of linear momentum of all the bodies
keep conserved, or
If 1 2 3 n F F F F ..... F 0

= + + + + =
Then, 1 2 3 n P P P ..... P

+ + + + = constant
The same is the case for the centre of mass of a system of particles i.e., if
CM CM F 0,P

= = Constant
Thus, the law of conservation of linear momentum can be given to a single body, to a system of
bodies or even to the centre of mass of the particles.
IMPULSE
Suppose a constant force F

which performs for a time t on a object of mass m, thus, changing its

velocity from u

to v

. Because the force is constant, the object will travel with travel with
constant acceleration a

where
F ma

= and at v u

=
Hence,
Ft
v u
m

=
Or Ft mv mu

=
The product of constant force F

and the time t for which it performs is known the impulse

,
J

of
the force and this is same to the change in linear momentum which it provides.
Impulse
,
i
J F P P P

= = A = t
f
Instantaneous Impulse: There are many occasions when a force behaves for such a short time that
the effect is instantaneous. In such part, although the value of the force and the time for which it
performs may each be unknown but the value of their product (i.e., impulse) can be known by
measuring the starting and final momentum. Thus, we can write
i
J F P P P

= = A =
}
dt
f
Regarding the impulse it is important to noticed that impulse applied to an object in a given time
interval can also be determined from the area under forcetime (F t) graph in the same time
interval.
Impulse momentum relation: The modification in momentum of a particle during a time interval
same the impulse of the net force that performs on the particle during that interval.
2 1
J p p

= (impulse momentum relation)