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Momentum, Impulse and Collisions

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(Chapter 9)
Momentum, Impulse and Collisions

You are testing a new car using crash test dummies.


Consider two ways to slow the car from 90 km/h (56 mi/h) to a
complete stop:
I. You let the car slam into a wall, bringing it to a sudden stop.
II. You let the car plow into a giant tub of gelatin so that it
comes to a gradual halt.
In which case is there a greater impulse of the net force on the car?
(A) In case I
(B) In case II
(C) The impulse is the same in both cases.
(D) Not enough information given to decide

Answer: In both cases you start with the same momentum and end at zero.
    
So the impulse I  p2  p1  0  p1   p1 is the same.
#1    30 s
Momentum, Impulse and Collisions

You are testing a new car using crash test dummies.


Consider two ways to slow the car from 90 km/h (56 mi/h) to a
complete stop:
I. You let the car slam into a wall, bringing it to a sudden stop.
II. You let the car plow into a giant tub of gelatin so that it
comes to a gradual halt.
In which case is there a greater average force on the car?
(A) In case I
(B) In case II
(C) The impulse is the same in both cases.
(D) Not enough information given to decide

Answer: The impulse is the same, but since the time, t, is much
smaller in case (I), the average force will be larger.
 
I  Favg t
#2     30 s
Momentum, Impulse and Collisions

Two blocks, with masses m1 = 2.5 kg and m2 = 14 kg approach each


other with along a horizontal, frictionless track. The initial velocities
of the blocks are v1 = 12.0 m/s to the right and v2 = 3.4 m/s to the
left. Two blocks then collide and stick together. Which of the graphs
could represent the force of block 1 on block 2 during the collision?

Answer:
, 14 3.4 47.6 kg  m/s
, 14.9 kg  m/s

 , 32.7/0.03 = 1090 N i.e. (D)

#3      5 min
Momentum, Impulse and Collisions

Which of these systems is NOT an isolated system?


(A) While slipping on a patch of ice a car collides with another car on
the ice. (Ignore friction with the ice.) System: Both cars.
(B) A single car slips on a patch of ice. (Ignore friction with the ice.)
System: The car.
(C) A ball drops to earth. (Ignore air friction.) System: The ball.
(D) A billiard ball collides with another billiard ball on a pool table.
(Ignore friction with the table during the collision.) System: Both
balls.

Answer: The net external force (gravitational force) is NOT zero

#4    30 s
Momentum, Impulse and Collisions

A 3.00-kg rifle fires a 0.00500-kg bullet at a speed of 300 m/s. Which


force is greater in magnitude:
(A) the force that the rifle exerts on the bullet
(B) the force that the bullet exerts on the rifle
(C) both forces have the same magnitude
(D) not enough information given to decide

Answer: This is a Newton’s 3rd law question, not about impulse or momentum
conservation. These two forces are equal-and-opposite pairs of forces.

#5       30 s
Momentum, Impulse and Collisions

An open cart is rolling to the left on a horizontal surface. A package


slides down a chute and lands in the cart. Which quantities have the
same value just before and just after the package lands in the cart?
(A) the horizontal component of total momentum
(B) the vertical component of total momentum
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) none of them is right

Answer: The horizontal component of the total


momentum is conserved. The external force of the
ground means the vertical component of
momentum is not conserved.

#6       1 min
Momentum, Impulse and Collisions

Which of the following configurations has the largest angular


momentum for a given r and p (linear momentum)?
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
p p p p
all [(A)(D)]
r r have the same
r 45° angular momentum
45°

Answer: L = mvr In (C) r = r  the largest L

#7     30 s

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