Momentum

Momentum and Collisions

This chapter is concerned with
inertia and motion.

Momentum helps us understand

collisions.
 Momentum
Inertia in motion
mass => quantity of matter in
an object
inertia => an object's
resistance to change in motion
Momentum Defined

The quantity of motion, momentum,

as being directly proportional to
the object's mass and velocity.
Momentum is a vector quantity.
..because it is a scalar (mass)
of the vector velocity.
p = Mv
 Momentum = mass X
velocity
Momentum Defined
= mv where is
momentum with units
kgm/s
m is the mass with units kg

v is the velocity with units

m/s
 Momentum Defined

Very Fast objects have

Greeeeat momentum

Very Massive Objects have

Greeeat momentum
 Momentum

If Direction Not
Important..
.Momentum = mass x
speed
Therefore..p = ms
 A large truck has more momentum
than a car moving at the same
speed because it has a greater
mass.

Which is more difficult to slow

down? The car or the large truck?
 Large Momentum Examples:

Huge ship moving at a small velocity

P = mv
High velocity bullet

P = mv
 Impulse
In order to change the
momentum of an object you
must apply a force over some
time interval.

Impulse = Force time interval

p= F t
Impulse
Newtons Second Law can read
F = ma = m(v/t) = (mv)/(t) = (p/ t)

Rearranging,

Impulse = p = Ft
Impulse
When force is limited ...
increase t (Follow through!)
make it bounce (Pelton wheel)
Impulse and Momentum
Impulse = Change in Momentum
= Final (mv) - Initial (mv)

F t = mv
Make it Bounce

p1

p2 = -p1

p = p2 - p1 = -p1 - p1
= -2p1
 Case 1: Increasing Momentum
Apply a force for a long time.
Examples:
Follow through on a golf swing.
Pushing a car.

Ft
 Case 2: Decreasing Momentum
Apply a force for a long time.
Examples:
Air bags in cars.
Catching an egg.
Boxing, Figure 5.6
Soft collisions, Figure 5.3.

Ft
 Case 3: Decreasing Momentum
Apply a force for a short time.
Examples:
Boxing
Karate

F t
Minimize the Force
To minimize force
Increase t
catching a ball
Bungee jumping
 If F = 0, then impulse = p = zero, or

Momentum is conserved
Conservation of Momentum
This means that the momentum doesnt
change.

Recall that F t = mv)

In this equation, F is the "external force".

Internal forces cannot cause a change in

momentum.
 Examples
Conservation of Momentum: If there
are no external forces, the total
momentum for a system remains
unchanged.
Example 1: a person sitting inside a
car pushing against the dashboard
Example 2: a bullet fired from a rifle
Example 3: a rocket is space
Conservation of Momentum
Conservation of Momentum
Conservation of Momentum

In any "closed system" the

total momentum does not
change.
Conservation of Momentum

..(Total momentum)before event =

(Total momentum) after event
(mbvb + mrvr) before = (mbvb + mrvr)
after
Demonstrations
Rocket balloon
Cannon
Rocket Scooter
When can Momentum be Conserved?

Internal
forces cannot cause
a change in momentum of the
system.
Forconservation of
momentum, the external
forces must be zero.
Momentum and Collisions
Elastic Collisions
objects rebound
e.g. superball

Inelastic Collisions
object stick together an usually
become distorted and generate heat
e.g. clay ball
 COLLISIONS
Collisions involve forces internal to
colliding bodies.
Inelastic collisions - conserve
momentum
Totally inelastic collisions - conserve
momentum and objects stick together
Elastic collisions - conserve energy
and momentum
v = 10 v=0
M M Before Collision
p = Mv

v = 5
M M After Collision
p = 2Mv

Mv = 2Mv
v = v
 Conserve Energy and Momentum
Before Collision

Case 1: Equal masses

Case 2: M>M

Case 3: M<M
Momentum = Mass x Velocity

p = mv
v p = mv
Elastic and inelastic collision
 V1 V2
M M

Before Collision

V1 V2
M M

After Collision
Types of Collisions
1. Elastic
2. Inelastic collisions
3. Completely Inelastic collisions
 Elastic Collisions
Momentum. is
conserved in
every collision
Kinetic Energy..is
conserved. ..No sound
or heat is produced
Elastic Collisions
Examples..
Subatomic particles
repelling magnets
a perfectsuper ball
 Elastic Collisions
M1v1o + m2 v2o = m1 v1f +m2v2f
 Inelastic Collisions
Momentum... is conserved
Kinetic Energy. is not
conserved
lost in form of heat or sound
Contains almost all types of
collisions
 Inelastic Collisions
M1v1o + m2 v2o = (m1+m2)vf
Perfectly Inelastic Collisions

More. Kinetic energy is lost as

heat or sound
Colliding objects stick together
Example Problems...