PHYS 172: Modern Mechanics

Spring 2011

Reminders:
1. Please register your iClicker on CHIP a.s.a.p. We plan
to transfer your iClicker scores to CHIP after lecture 4.
2. Homework due date extensions can be only requested
before the official due date. You must download a
respective extension request from from the course web
site and submit it to room 144.
3. We do not use BlackBoard for that course. Please refer
to the course web site accessible through the drop
down course list on www.physics.purdue.edu site.

Lecture 4 Momentum principle application, reciprocity

Read 2.32.8, 3.4

Applying the Momentum Principle to a system:

predicting motion
1. Choose a system and surroundings
2. Make a list of objects in surroundings that exert significant forces on system
3. Apply the Momentum Principle

p f = pi + Fnet t

4. Apply the position update formula if needed

5. Check for reasonableness (units, etc.)

rf = ri + vavg t

Example: a hockey puck

A hockey puck with a mass of 0.16 kg is initially at rest. A player hits it
applying force F = 400, 400, 0 N during t = 4 ms. Where would be the puck
2 seconds after it loses contact with hockey stick?
Solution:
1. Choose a system and
surroundings:

Clicker question #1:

What will be the most convenient choice of the system?
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

puck
hockey stick
player
puck + hockey stick
puck + hockey stick + player

Example: a hockey puck

A hockey puck with a mass of 0.16 kg is initially at rest. A player hits it
applying force F = 400, 400, 0 N during t = 4 ms. Where would be the puck
2 seconds after it loses contact with hockey stick?
Solution:
1. Choose a system and
surroundings:

2. Make a list of objects in surroundings that exert significant forces on system

3. Apply the Momentum Principle

p f = pi + Fnet t

p f = 0, 0, 0

( m kg/s ) +

p f = 1.6,1.6, 0 m kg/s

Hockey stick
Gravity
Normal force opposing gravity
Friction

400, 400, 0 N ( 4 10-3 s )

Example: a hockey puck

A hockey puck with a mass of 0.16 kg is initially at rest. A player hits it
applying force F = 400, 400, 0 N during t = 4 ms. Where would be the puck
2 seconds after it loses contact with hockey stick?
Solution:

3. Momentum

p f = 1.6,1.6, 0 m kg/s

4. The position update formula

rf = ri + vavg t
p mv

rf

pf

Choose coordinate system origin:

position of puck at the end of interaction

p
= 10,10, 0 m/s
m

rf = 0, 0, 0 m + 10,10, 0 m/s ( 2 s )
rf = 20, 20, 0 m

Motion of an object under constant force

System: cart and fan. One dimension.
air

p mv

p f = pi + Fnet t

Assume:

v << c

Position update:

Then:

v f = vi +

rf = ri + vavg ( t f ti )

Fnet
t
m

Divide t into small intervals so that v does not change

v ( t ) t

v ( t ) t

rf = ri +

vf

Need to find area under v(t) !

vi

rf = ri +
ti

tf

vi + v f
2

(t

ti )

Only if v changes
at constant rate

=vavg

See numerical example in text book

Constant Gravitational Field

Clicker question #2:

g = 9.8 N/kg (or m/s 2 )

Due to the gravity, which components

of the velocity will change?
x, y and z
B) only x and y
C)only x
D)only y
E) only z

F = 0, mg , 0
x
z

p fx = pix + Fnet , x t
p fy = piy + Fnet , y t

p fz = piz + Fnet , z t

Ball and a cart

lecture demo

Clicker question #3:

A cart moves at constant velocity on horizontal surface and shoots
a cannon ball straight up. When the cannon ball drops down, it
will land
A) Back into the cannon
B) Behind the cannon
C) In front of the cannon

Shoot the monkey

lecture demo

Clicker question #4:

The hunter aims right at the monkey and shoots. As the bullet
leaves the rifle the monkey sees the flash it releases the
branch and drops down in free fall
Will the bullet:
A) Hit the monkey
B) Undershoot the monkey
C) Overshoot the monkey
(ignore air resistance)

Note: the trajectory is a parabola

(if air friction is ignored)
Dont worry.
The monkey had a bulletproof west

Physical models

Spherical cow
Ideal model: ignore factors that have no significant effect on the outcome

Example: colliding students

Two students are late for class and run into each other head-on.
Q: Estimate the force that one student exerts on the other during collision

Ffloor , N

Simplest model:

Fair

Ffloor , P
FEarth
System: one spherical student
Surroundings: earth, floor, air, second spherical student
Force: Earth, floor, air, other student unknown!

Example: colliding students

Ffloor , N

Strategy:

Fair

p f pi = Fnet t
p = mv

Ffloor , P
FEarth
x

rf = ri + vavg t

p f pi = Fnet t

< 0, 0 > < pix , 0 >=< Ffloor , P Fair F , Ffloor , N FEarth > t
< pix , 0 >=< F , 0 > t
pix = F t

Example: colliding students

Ffloor , N

Strategy:

Fair

p f pi = Fnet t
p = mv

Ffloor , P
FEarth
x

pix = F t

Assume: vi =5 m/s, x=0.05m

What is the collision time?

vavg =

x
t

t =

x
vavg

What is the initial momentum?

Find F:

F=

t =

x
( vi + v f ) / 2

Assume: m=60 kg

t = 0.02 s
pix = mvix = 300 kg m/s

pix 300 kg m/s

=
= 15000 N
t
0.02 s

Ffloor , N

rf = ri + vavg t

Clicker question 5
F = 15000 N

Fair

Ffloor , P
FEarth
x

We estimated the collision force on the first (left) student.

What is the force on the second (right) student compared to the force
on the first (left) student?
A) It has the same magnitude but opposite direction
B) It has the same magnitude and the same direction
C) It is zero
D) It is in opposite direction but its magnitude may be different
E) It is in the same direction but its magnitude may be different

Reciprocity: Newtons 3d law

Fspring on mass
Fmass on spring
p = Fnet t

Force magnitudes are the same

Directions are opposite
They act on different objects

Fspring on mass = Fmass on spring

Reciprocity (Newtons 3rd law):

The forces of two objects on each other are always
equal and are directed in opposite directions