Momentum and Collisions

Applied Force (contact or collision)

Change in motion
Change in motion depends on:
• applied force
• time of contact

∆v m ( vf − vi )
Newton’s second law: F=ma=m =
∆t ∆t
m( v f − v i )
F=
∆t
F ∆t = m v f − m v i = ∆ p
Impulse = change in momentum
p = m v is the linear momentum= mass x velocity
Units: kgm/s or Ns

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Impulse is the product of the average force and the impact time

Impulse = F∆ t
Impulse is a vector. It has the same direction as F!
Force varies with time during a collision for example

F F∆t = area
∆t
t

∆p
F =
∆t
F is very large
if ∆ t is small

if ∆t is large F is very small

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 Example 1 (Problem 2)
A tennis player receives a shot with the ball (m =0.060 kg)
traveling horizontally at 50.0 m/s and returns the shot with
the ball traveling horizontally at 40.0 m/s in the opposite
direction.
What is the impulse delivered to the ball by the racquet?
Assume the positive direction away from the net.
F∆t = mv f − mv i = ∆p
Impulse = ∆ p = m (v f − v i )
Im pulse = (0.0600 kg) (40.0 m/s - (-50.0 m/s)
Impulse = 5.40 Ns toward the net

Example 2 (Problem 8)
A 60.0 kg woman jumps from a burning building and falls 10.0 m
before making contact with a safety net, which stops her in 0.120 s.
What is the average force exerted by the net on her? Take downward as
positive

First find the speed before impact. Use conservation of energy

KEi + PEi = KE f + PE f
1
0 + mgh = mv 2f + 0
2
v f = 2gh = 2(9.80 m/s 2 )(10.0 m) = 14 m/s,
∆p m (v f − v i ) 60.0 kg (0 m/s − 14 m/s)
F= = =
∆t ∆t 0.120 s
F = - 7000 N or F = 7000 N, upward

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 Example 3 (Problem 12)
The force Fx acting in the x direction on a 2.00 kg particle
varies in time as shown. Find
a) the impulse of the force
b) the final velocity of the particle if it is initially at rest

a) Impulse = area under curve

Impulse = area 1 + area 2 + area 3
(4.00 N)(2.00 s) (4.00 N)(2.00 s)
Impulse = ( ) + (4.00N)(1.00 s) + ( ) = 12.0 Ns
2 2
b) Impulse = F∆t = ∆ p = m (v f − v i )
Impulse 12.0 Ns
v f = vi + =0+
m 2.00 kg
v f = 6.00 m/s

Conservation of Momentum
When no external forces act on a system, the total
momentum of the system remains constant.
Total momentum = Vector sum of all the momenta

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 Collisions

1.Elastic: KEbefore = KEafter

2.Inelastic: KEafter< KEbefore
Momentum is always conserved

Elastic Collisions

Example 6.7
Example 6.8

Inelastic Collisions
Example 6.5
Example 6.6
Example 6.9

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 Elastic head-on collisions in 1 Dimension
Conservation of momentum: m1 v1i + m 2 v 2i = m1 v1f + m 2 v 2f
1 1 1 1
Conservation of KE: m1v12i + m 2 v 22i = m1v12f + m 2 v 22f
2 2 2 2

Take positive to the right. And combine the two equations above to get:
v 1i − v 2 i = − ( v 1 f − v 2 f )

v1i v2i v1f v2f

+ +

Elastic head-on collisions in 1 Dimension

other useful equations

( m1 − m 2 ) ( 2m 2 )
v1f = v1i + v 2i
( m1 + m 2 ) ( m1 + m 2 )
( 2m1 ) ( m 2 − m1 )
v 2f = v1i + v 2i
( m1 + m 2 ) ( m1 + m 2 )
v1i v2i v1f v2f

+ +

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 Example 6.7: Perfectly elastic collision
m1= m2
v1i = 30 cm/s , v2i = -20 cm/s

( 2m )
v1f = v 2i = v 2i = −20 cm/s
(m + m)
( 2m )
v 2f = v1i = v1i = + 30 cm/s
(m + m)

Example 5 –Ballistic Pendulum- Demo

Similar to Example 6.6
mbullet = mb = 6.0 g = 6x10-3 kg ,Mcylinder = MC = 560 g = 0.560 kg, H = 4 cm = 0.04 m

Conservation of momentum: P before = P after

Perfectly inelastic collision m b v b = (m b + M C )v f
(m b + M C )
v b = vf
m b
Need to know vf to solve for vb.
After the collision the bullet and the cylinder go up a distance of 4 cm.
Conservation of mechanical energy for the system bullet-cylinder-Earth
1 / 2( m b + M C ) v f2 = ( m b + M C ) gH
vf = 2 gH

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Example 5 –Ballistic Pendulum- Demo
Similar to Example 6.6

(m b + M C )
v b = vf
m b
(m b + M C )
v b = 2 gH
m b
( 0 . 006 kg + 0 . 560 kg )
v b = 2 ( 9 . 8 m / s 2 )( 0 . 04 m )
0 . 006 kg
v b = 83 m / s

Example 6 –Collision in 2D
vf y
Before After
2v 3v
θ
m 2m x
v
x

Write an expression for the total momentum of the system of the

two objects in the x direction before and after collision

Write an expression for the total momentum of the system of the
two objects in the y direction before and after collision

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 Example 6 –Collision in 2D
vf y
Before After
2v 3v
θ
m 2m x
v
x

Conservation of momentum in the x direction:

P x before = P x after
m(2v) + (2m)(-3v) = (m)(0) + (2m)(-v f cos θo
2v − 6v = − 2v f cos θ
- 4v = − 2v f cos θ
2v = v f cos θ

Example 6 –Collision in 2D
vf y
Before After
2v 3v
θ
m 2m x
v
x

Conservation of momentum in the in the y direction:

Py before = Py after

m(0) + (2m)(0) = (m)(-v) + (2m)(v f sin θ )

v = 2v f sin θ

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 Example 6 –Collision in 2D
v = 2v f sin θ
2v = v f cos θ
v 2 v f sin θ
=
2 v v f cos θ
1
= 2tan θ
2
1
tan θ = , θ = 14 0
4
2v 2v
vf = = 0
≈ 2v
cos θ cos 14

Example 6 –Collision in 2D

1 1
KEinitial = m(2v) 2 + 2m(3v) 2 = 11 mv 2
2 2
1 1
KE final = m(v) 2 + 2m(2v) 2 = 4.5 mv 2
2 2
KE final 〈 KEinitial

This collision is inelastic

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