General Physics 1

APHY 111
Linear Momentum

4.1 Definition of Linear Momentum

We consider a body moving along the x-axis
The momentum of a body with mass m and
velocity vx is defined as

p x = mvx
The unit of momentum is Kg.m/s
Similarly we can define momentum along any other
axis
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Example 1: A ball of mass 3 kg is moving on a smooth horizontal table with a

speed of 5m/s when it collides normally with a fixed smooth vertical wall. It
rebounds from the wall with a speed of 2 m/s. Find the change in momentum
of the ball.

The change in momentum is also known as Impulse ()

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4.2 Momentum and Force

The total force acting on an object can be written
as the rate of change of momentum:

dp
F=
dt
For a finite time interval this is the average force

p
Average Force =
t

Example 2: In a particular crash test, a car of mass 1500 kg collides with a wall.
The initial and final velocities of the car are vi=-15m/s and vf=2.6m/s, respectively.
If the collision lasts for 0.150 s, find the impulse caused by the collision and the
average force exerted on the car.

Impulse = p = p f pi
p = mv f mvi = 1500(2.6 (15))
p = 1500(17.6) = 2.64 10 4 kg.m/s

p 2.64 10 4
Average Force =
=
= 1.76 105 N
t
0.150
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Exercise 1: A tennis ball of mass 0.1kg is moving horizontally with a speed of 10m/s
when it collides normally with a vertical racquet. It rebounds from the racquet with a
speed of 25m/s.
(a) Find the change in momentum of the ball.
(b) If the time of contact between the ball and the racquet is 0.2s, find the average
force the racquet exerts on the ball during the collision.

4.3 Conservation of Momentum

In a mechanical system the total momentum is
conserved
momentum before = momentum after
This is the law of conservation of momentum and is very
important for understanding collisions

momentum before = m Av A + mB vB
collision takes place

momentum after = m AvA + mB vB

m Av A + mB vB = m AvA + mB vB

Exercise 2: A bullet of mass mB = 5g is fired from a rifle of mass mR = 2Kg. If the

gun, just after the explosion, bounces with 2.5 m/s, calculate
(a)the speed of the bullet just after the explosion
The bullet then strikes a block of mass M = 495g horizontally and remains stuck in
it (plastic collision), calculate
(b) The final speed of the group
(c) Calculate the loss in the kinetic energy during the last impact. Explain.
Solution

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Exercise 3: A body A of mass 5,5 kg moving at 6 m/s collides with a second body
B of mass 4,5 kg moving at 4 m/s in the same line but in the opposite direction
with body A. After collision the two bodies move together with a common velocity.
Find
(a) The velocity (magnitude and direction) of the composite body.
(b) The loss in mechanical energy of the system.
(c) The average force body B experiences during the collision.

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Exercise 4: A rocket of mass 100kg is moving horizontally with a speed of 400m/s.

Suddenly an explosion occurs and the rocket brakes into two parts of equal mass,
moving in the same direction. If one part has a speed of 200m/s,
(a) Calculate the speed of the second part.
(b) Find the energy released during this explosion.

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4.3 Elastic Collisions

In an elastic collision both momentum and kinetic
energy are conserved
momentum before = momentum after
Kinetic energy before = kinetic energy after
In terms of equations we have:

Combining the above two equations we have that

u1 f u2 f = u2i u1i
which is the condition for elastic collision

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Exercise 5: Two bodies of masses 1kg and 2kg move along a straight line with
velocities u1=4m/s and u2=1m/s, respectively, and in the same direction. The bodies
collide elastically. Taking into account that for an elastic collision their velocities u1
and u2 after collision satisfy the condition u u = u u ,
Find their velocities u1 and u2 after the collision.
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Solution
(a) We have from conservation of momentum

m1u1 + m2u2 = m1u1 + m2u2

u1 + 2u2 = 4 + 2 = 6 [1]
Using the condition u1 u2 = u2 u1

u1 u2 = 3

[2]

we have to solve a system of equations ([1] and [2])

u1 = 0m / s
u2 = 3m / s

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The ballistic pendulum

The figure shows a ballistic pendulum, a
system for measuring the speed of a bullet.
The bullet, with mass mB , is fired into a
block of wood with mass mw, suspended
like a pendulum, and makes a completely
inelastic collision with it. After the impact of
the bullet, the block swings up to a
maximum height y. Given the values of y,
mB , and mw, what is the initial speed VI of
the bullet?

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Momentum conservation gives

The wooden block will then start moving until all of its kinetic energy has been
converted to potential energy. Energy conservation then gives

Therefore, we can combine both of the above equations to find a relation for
the speed v1of the bullet

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Exercise 6
A bullet, with mass mB=0.1 kg , is fired into a block of wood with mass mw=10 kg,
suspended like a pendulum, and makes a completely inelastic collision with it.
(a) If the initial velocity of the bullet is vB=300 m/s, calculate the common velocity vc of
the wooden block immediately after collision.
(b) After the impact of the bullet, the block swings up to a maximum height y. Calculate
the value of the maximum height y.

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Exercise 7:Consider the frictionless track ABC of the figure. A block of mass m1 =
6 kg is released from A. It makes a head-on elastic collision at B with the block of
mass m2 = 12 kg that it is initially at rest.
(a) Calculate the velocity of m1 just before the collision,
(b) Calculate the velocity of m1 just after the collision.
Taking into account that for an elastic collision their velocities u1 and u2 after
collision satisfy the condition u1 u 2 = u 2 u1

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