2.

Momentum

Define linear momentum and impulse.

Momentum is an alternative formulation of Newtons second law (F=ma); the
advantage of this formulation is that it can be used where mass is changing.
Momentum is a vector quantity.

p = mv

units: N s or kg m s-1

By combining p=mv with F=ma, we can derive a formula for the rate of change of
momentum of a body.
F = p/t
e.g. Bullets of mass 30 g are being fired from a gun with a speed of 1000 m s-1 at
a rate of 20 per second. What force is being exerted on the gun? (600 N)
The quantity Ft for a very short period of time (infinitesimal) is called impulse.
Impulse is the change in momentum.

Impulse

no seat belt

Seat belt.
Area under curve = total momentum

1. A force of 1000 N acts on a body of 40 kg initially at rest for t = 0.05 s. What

is the velocity of the mass? (1.25 m s-1)
2. A baseball, initially at rest, is struck with a bat. The velocity of the 0.15 kg ball
just after it is hit is 40 m s-1. If the impact time is 10-3 s, what is the average
force on the ball? (6000 N)
3. A force varies with time according to F = 4+12t, and acts on a 2 kg block
which is at rest on a frictionless surface. F makes an angle of 60 to the
horizontal. When will the force lift the block? (t=1.6 s)
4. A car traveling at 10 m s-1 (36 km h-1) collides with a tree. (a) An unrestrained
passenger strikes the windshield headfirst and comes to rest in 0.002 s. The
contact area between the head and the windshield is 6x10-4 m2, and the mass
of the head is 5 kg. Find the average force and the force per unit area
exerted on the head. (b) A passenger of mass 70 kg wearing a shoulder
harness comes to rest in 0.2 s. The area of the harness in contact with the
passenger is 0.1 m2. Find the average force and the average force per unit
area. (4.16x107 N m-2; 3.5x104 N m-2)

State the law of conservation of momentum.

For a system of interacting objects, the total momentum remains constant
provided no external force acts on the system.

ptot = m1v1 + m2v2

ptot = 0

e.g. A mass of 2 kg moves to the right at 10 m s-1, and a mass of 4 kg moves to

the left at 8 m s-1. What is the total momentum of the system? (-12 kg m s-1)
In a brief collision, the total momentum is conserved, either exactly or to a very
good approximation. However, mechanical energy may or may not be conserved
in such situations (e.g. happy/sad balls).
A collision that conserves mechanical energy is said to be elastic. If mechanical
energy is not conserved, the collision is called inelastic. In a completely
inelastic collision, relative motion ceases; the objects join and move as a single
object, as when the bumpers of two vehicles lock. This type of collision dissipates
the maximum amount of kinetic energy possible within the constraints of
momentum conservation.
An explosion, where objects fly apart is another example where momentum is
conserved (only internal forces pushing the object apart).
Lab: Atwoods Machine

Derive the law of conservation of momentum for an isolated system consisting of

two interacting particles.
Assume two billiard balls in collision; the impact force on A from B (and vice versa)
changes the velocity of each. Using Newtons second law (momentum
formulation):
FA = ( mAvf - mAvf ) /t
where t represents the time of contact
FB = ( mBvf mBvf ) /t
From Newtons third law (equal and opposite forces exerted on A and B):
Since FA = -FB
( mAvf - mAvf ) /t = - ( mBvf mBvf ) /t
Since t is constant, the equation can be rearranged to show:
( mAvi mBvi ) = ( mAvf + mBvf )
initial momentum (pA + pB )i = final momentum (pA + pB )f

Solve problems involving momentum and impulse.

1. Two masses (2 kg and 4 kg) are held with a compressed spring between
them. When they are released, the 2 kg mass has a velocity of +6 m s-1.
What is the velocity of the 4 kg mass? (-3 m s-1)
2. Two equal masses (2 kg) are connected by a string that goes over a pulley
and are at rest. A mass of 0.1 kg falls on one of the two masses with a speed
of 3.0 m s-1 and gets stuck on it (completely inelastic collision). With what
velocity and acceleration do the masses move? (0.07 m s-1; 0.25 m s-2)
3. A neutron moving at 2700 m s-1 collides head-on with a nitrogen nucleus at
rest and is absorbed. The neutron and nitrogen masses are m=1.67x10-27 kg
and M=23.0x10-27 kg respectively. What is the final velocity of the combined
object? (183 m s-1)
4. A cannon is mounted inside a railroad car, which is initially at rest but can
move frictionlessly. It fires a cannonball of mass m=5 kg with a horizontal

velocity v=15 m s-1 relative to the ground at the opposite wall. The total mass
of the cannon and railroad car is M=15 000 kg. (a) What is the velocity V of
the car while the cannonball is in flight? (b) If the cannonball becomes
embedded in the wall, what is the velocity of the car and ball after impact?
(5x10-3 m s-1; 0)
HL ONLY
An impact between two objects at an angle is an oblique collision (momentum
conserved). The vector nature of momentum now becomes important; the two final
momentum vectors must add up to equal the initial momentum vector.
5. A car of mass m=1000 kg moving at 30 m s-1 collides with a car of mass
M=2000 kg traveling at 20 m s-1 in the opposite direction. Immediately after
the collision, the 1000-kg car moves at right angles to its original direction at
15 m s-1. Find the velocity of the 2000-kg car right after the collision. (7.5 m
s-1)
6.

60
4ms

-1

0ms

-1

Solve for Vf for each ball, and determine the value of .