MOMENTUM &

EXPLOSIONS
Chapter 2 Force and Motion
2.4 Momentum

1. Rifle
2. Air escapes from a deflating balloon
3. A canon firing a shell

EXAMPLES OF EXPLOSIONS

1. RIFLE

2.The explosion creates a

backward momentum on
the rifle. This causes the
rifle to recoil backwards.

Total momentum of the

rifle and the bullet is
zero as they are
stationary.

1.When the rifle is fired, the

explosion of the gunpowder
forces the bullet out of the
barrel. A momentum in the
forward direction is created.

2. AIR ESCAPES FROM A DEFLATING BALLOON

Total momentum
of the balloon is
zero as it is
stationary

The balloon shoots

upwards, moving with
an upward momentum

Air has mass and moves

with a velocity. This creates
a momentum in the
downward direction.

3. A CANON FIRING A SHELL

It produces two fragments of masses m (shell) and M (cannon)

with velocities u and v respectively.

An explosion is a closed system which

does not involve any external force.
The total momentum is conserved in
an explosion.

The two momenta have the same magnitude but different direction.

Exercise
1.
The diagram show a boy of 60kg and a girl of 50kg on the roller
skates. Initially, they hold each others hand. Then, the boy
pushes the girl and both of them release their hands. If the
velocity of the girl is 3 ms-1 after being pushed, find the velocity
of the boy. (Assume that no frictional force)

2.
Jane and John go ice skating. With their skates on, Jane and John push against each
other on level ice. Jane, of mass 50kg, moves away at a velocity of 3ms -1 to the
right. What is Johns velocity if he is 75kg?

3.
Harfeez alight a boat at a velocity of v ms-1 and lands on the
dock. The boat bounces backwards with a speed of v. If the
masses of Harfeez and the boat are m and 3m respectively, find
the speed of the boat (ignoring friction due to water).

Activity 2.4
To verify the principle of conservation of momentum in an
explosion
Apparatus / Materials:
4 trolleys, wooden block, 2 wooden blocks, a hammer and a metre rule.
Notes

The positions of the wooden blocks are adjusted so that each trolley
collides with the corresponding wooden blocks at the same time, t.
Substitute in

Arrangement of apparatus:

Procedure:
1. The apparatus is arranged as shown in figure.
2. Two trolleys A and B of equal mass are placed in contact with each other
on a smooth surface. The spring-loaded piston in trolley B is compressed.
3. The release pin on trolley B is given a light tap to release the springloaded piston which then pushes the trolleys apart. The trolleys collide with
the wooden blocks.
4. The experiment is repeated and position of the wooden blocks are
adjusted so that both trolleys collide with them at the same time.
5. The distance dA and dB are measured and recorded. Note: dA is positive
while dB is negative since d, displacement is a vector quantity.
6. The experiment is repeated using
(a)1 trolley with 2 stacked trolleys
(b) 3 stacked trolleys with 1 trolley

Application of the Conservation of

Momentum
1. Rocket
In accordance with the 5
principle of
conservation of
momentum, the rocket
gains a forward
momentum and moves
forward at high velocity.

4
A backward
momentum is
created

A rocket carries liquid

hydrogen and liquid oxygen

The mixture of hydrogen fuel

and oxygen burns vigorously in
the combustion chamber

The gases formed expand

3 rapidly and are forced to
discharge through the
exhaust nozzle at a high
velocity

2. Jet engine
Air from the atmosphere is drawn
into the engine and compressed by a
compressor before it is forced into
combustion chamber at high pressure

Moves forwards

In accordance with the principle of the

conservation of momentum, a forward
momentum for the engine is produced.
The plane thus flies forwards.

In the combustion chamber,

kerosene fuel burns
vigorously with the
compressed air

The ejected high speed exhaust

gases create a backward
momentum

Jet of exhaust gases

The hot gases formed expand rapidly

and are forced out of the nozzle at
high speed through the turbine
which rotates the compressor

The principle of the conservation of momentum

occurs in nature.

Diagram show how does a squid escape.

The squid fills its body up with water which it forces through a
tube. This makes the squid move on the opposite direction very
quickly. This is called jet propulsion.

The shower of burning fragments

from an exploding fireworks
launched into the sky is governed
by the principle of the
conservation of momentum. The
symmetrical pattern indicates
that the total momentum is
conserved.

The large volume of water that rushes out from a water

hose with a very high speed has a large momentum. In
accordance with the principle of conservation of
momentum, an equal and opposite momentum is created
causing the fireman to fall backwards. Thus, several
firemen are needed to hold the water hose.

EXERCISE
1.
A pigeon of mass 120 g is flying at a velocity of 2 ms-1. What is its
momentum?

2.
Calculate the momentum of a car of car of mass 2 000 kg moving with a
velocity of 30 ms-1.

3.
A bull of mass 250 kg is moving at a momentum of 750 kgms-1. Find its
velocity.

4.
A bullet with mass of 50 g is fired from a 2 kg pistol with a velocity of
120 ms-1. What is the total momentum of the bullet and the pistol after
explosion?

5.
During training, Othman fires a pistol of 1.5 kg mass.

A bullet with a mass of 30 g is released at a velocity of 300 ms -1. What is

recoil velocity of the pistol?

6.

A 500 kg car travelling at 30 ms-1 collides with a 3000kg lorry

which is at rest. After the collision, both the car and lorry move
together. What is the common velocity after the collision?
7.
Hizam and his son Jamal are at an ice rink.

Jamal with a mass of 20 kg is moving at a

velocity of 2 ms-1 while Hizam with a mass of
60 kg, is directly behind Jamal and moving at
6 ms-1. Hizam decides to pick Jamal up and
continues moving without stopping.
Determine the final velocity of Hizam and
Jamal.

8.

Trolley A of mass 3 kg moving at 4 ms-1 collides with trolley B of

mass 4 kg which is moving in the opposite direction. If both the
trolleys move together at 3 ms-1 in the direction of trolley B after
the collision, find the initial velocity of trolley B.
9.
A butterfly rests on a leaf floating on the surface of a pond.
The butterfly then starts moving to the tip of the leaf at a speed of 5
cms-1 relative to the water. The leaf, in accordance with the principle of
the conservation of momentum, moves at 3 cms-1 relative to the water
in the opposite direction. If the mass of the leaf is 8g, determine the
mass of the butterfly.

10.
Boat A and boat B are moving at a speed of 2 ms-1 and 1 ms-1
respectively before the two collide head on. The masses of boat A and B
(including the passengers) are 150 kg and 250 kg respectively.

If boat A bounces back with a velocity of 0.5 ms-1, what is the velocity
of boat B?

11.
Sau Fei and Siew Ling, each with a mass of 60 kg and 49.5 kg
respectively, are standing at rest on an ice rink. Sau Fei throws a ball of
mass 0.5 kg towards Siew Ling.

What is the recoil velocity of Sau Fei if the velocity of the ball is 8 ms -1?
What is the velocity of Siew Ling after she receives the ball?