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Momentum:
When we think of momentum, we often think of sports teams. We might say that a
team has a lot of momentum. That team is hard to stop. That can give us a good
working definition for momentum: an objects momentum is how hard it will be to stop
the object.
Momentum and Inertia:
When we discussed inertia, we gave it a similar working definition. Inertia was
how hard it is to change the speed of an object. We found that the inertia of an object was
its mass. Since momentum (how hard it is to stop) and inertia (how hard it is to change
speed) have similar definitions, they are easy to confuse. To try and sort it out, imagine
these examples:
Description
A train moving at 20 m/s
So, a train will always have a lot of inertia, since it has a large mass. But, its
momentum can vary depending on its velocity.
Equation:
p = mv
Ft = mv
The right side of the equation is the change in momentum (p = mv).
The left side of the equation is a new quantity called the impulse (the
symbol for impulse is J). J = Ft
We can combine this to get J = Ft = mv = p
Examples:
1. A car with a mass of 1000 kg slows from 30 m/s, west to 22 m/s, west in 4 seconds.
a. What is the change in momentum for the car?
b. What is the force on the car?
c. What is the impulse on the car?
2. An egg with a mass of 0.1 kg is dropped. It hits the ground with a speed of 5 m/s, and
stops in 0.05 seconds. A 2nd egg with the same mass is dropped and lands with the same
speed on a pillow, and comes to a stop in 0.2 seconds.
a. Compare the change in momentum for the eggs.
b. Compare the impulse for the two eggs.
c. Compare the forces on the two eggs.
Conservation of Momentum
A very important concept is that for any system of objects, as long as there is no
external force, momentum is conserved. (Think of Newtons first law. Objects will
move at a constant velocity, and therefore a constant momentum, as long as there is no
outside force.)
Conservation of Momentum does not mean that every object will have the same
momentum all the time. If two cars collide, they will both change speed and momentum.
But, because there was no outside force (just the force between the two cars), the total
momentum of the system will remain the same.
Problem Solving.
For problems which involve conservation of momentum, you will always follow the
same steps.
1. Draw a picture.
2. You know that the total momentum is conserved. (ptot before = ptot after)
3. Find expressions for the total momentum before and the total momentum after,
and set the expressions equal.
Examples:
1. A 400 kg car traveling east at 20 m/s collides with a stationary 200 kg car. After
the collision, the 200 kg car is traveling at 15 m/s, east. What is the speed of the
400 kg car?