Momentum

Key Vocabulary
Momentum
Impulse
Collision/Collide
Conservation of Momentum
Elastic
Inelastic

Momentum
All objects have mass; so if an object is
moving, then it has momentum
It has its mass in motion.

Momentum
The amount of momentum which an
object has, depends on two things:
1. how much matter is moving
2. how fast the matter is moving

 Momentum: "mass in motion

Equation: p = m x v
Unit: kg*m/s

Two Questions
Think-pair-share the following questions:
How does the momentum change if the size
(mass) of an object changes?
How does the momentum change if the
speed of an object changes?

Momentum
Momentum is a vector

Momentum
Consider a truck and a bicycle moving
down the street at the same speed. The
considerably greater mass of the truck
gives it a considerably greater
momentum. If the truck were at rest,
which would have the greater
momentum?

Momentum Questions
1. Determine the momentum of a ...
a.) 60 kg dog moving eastward at 9 m/s.
b.) 1000 kg car moving northward at 20 m/s.
c.) 40 kg man moving southward at 2 m/s.

Momentum Questions
A car possesses 20,000 units of
momentum. What would be the
car's new momentum if ...
a.) its velocity were doubled
b.) its mass were doubled
c.) both its velocity and mass were
doubled

If the boulder and the boy

have the same momentum,
will the boulder crush the
boy?
Hint: think about the
momentum formula!

p = mv

Momentum
and Impulse

IMPULSE A force applied for a

period of time which results in a
change of momentum.
Impulse = change in momentum

IMPULSE A force applied for a

period of time which results in a
change of momentum.
Impulse = change in momentum
Ft = p = (mv)
Ft = mvf - mvi
Ft = m (vf vi)

Impulse
A change in momentum in a short
time requires a large force.
A change in momentum in a long time
requires a small force.

The Wall and the Haystack

Greatest velocity change?

Greatest acceleration?
Greatest momentum change?
Greatest Impulse?

Therefore, a larger Force

and impulse occurs!

Example 1
Determine the impulse of the following
objects:
a. An object exerts 4.35 x 104 N [W] of force
over a time interval of 1.17 seconds.
b. An object exerts 3.21 x 103 N [N] of force
over a time interval of 0.023 h.

Impulse Example:
1. An 80 kg skier loses control and
demolishes a snow bank. If it takes the
skier 3 seconds to come to rest from an
impact speed of 9 m/s, find:
(a) the impulse on the man

(b) the average force exerted on him by the

snow bank

F vs t graph
Area under the curve

7500

F (N)

10

t (s)

20

Constant F

Find Area:
=L x W
=F x t
= 7500 x 20
= 150,000 Ns

Impulse from an F vs t graph

Area under the curve

7500
F (N)

10
t (s)

20

Impulse = F * t
Find Area:
= 2(1/2 *b*h)
= 2(1/2*10*7500)
= 75,000 Ns