Cambridge International AS Level Physics

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Chapter 6

Kinetic energy after collision

= 12 mA vA2 + 12 mB vB2

1 a
Ball B has greater mass.
b Trolley B has greater mass.
2 a
Momentum, p = mv = 0.50 20 = 10kgms1
b Momentum, p = mv = 25000 20
=5.0105kgms1
c Momentum, p = mv = 9.1 1031 2.0 107
= 1.821023
1.81023kgms1
3 Momentum before
=mA uA + mB uB = (0.50 2.0) + (0.50 (3.0))
= 1.0 1.5 = 0.5kgms1 (i.e. to the left)
Momentum after= mA vA + mB vB
= (0.50 (2.0)) + (0.50 1.0) = 1.0 + 0.5
= 0.5kgms1 (i.e. to the left)
4

Type of collision perfectly elastic inelastic

Momentum

conserved

conserved

Kinetic energy

conserved

not conserved

Total energy

conserved

conserved

5 a
Before collision:
momentum of ball A,
pA = mA uA = 4.0 2.5 = +10kgms1
momentum of ball B,
pB = mB uB = 4.0 (1.5) = 6kgms1
b After collision:
momentum of ball A,
pA = mA uA = 4.0 (1.5) = 6kgms1
momentum of ball B,
pB = mB uB = 4.0 2.5 = +10kgms1
c Total momentum before collision
= pA + pB = +4kgms1
Total momentum after collision
= pA + pB = +4kgms1
So momentum is conserved.
d Kinetic energy before collision
= 12 mA uA2 + 12 mB uB2
= ( 12 4.0 (2.5)2) + ( 12 4.0 (1.5)2)
= 12.5 + 4.5 = 17J

= ( 12 4.0 (1.5)2) + ( 12 4.0 (2.5)2)

= 4.5 + 12.5 = 17J
So k.e. before=k.e. after.
e Relative speed before= 2.5(1.5) = 4.0ms1
Relative speed after = 2.5(1.5) = 4.0ms1
6 a

before
2.0 m s1

after

u=0

v=?
B

1.0 kg

2.0 kg

1.2 m s1

B
1.0 kg

2.0 kg

b Call 1.0kg trolley A.

Call 2.0kg trolley B.
Conservation of momentum means:
momentum before collision
= momentum after collision
So mA uA + mB uB = mA vA + mB vB
Rearrange to find speed of first trolley after
collision, vA.
mA uA + mB uB mB vB = mA vA
vA = mA uA + mB uB mB vB

mA
(1.0

2.0)
+ (2.0 0.0) (2.0 1.2)
=
1.0

= 0.40ms1
The minus sign indicates that the first trolley
reverses direction.
7 a
If you consider the star to be stationary before
exploding, the star has zero momentum. After
the explosion, matter flies off in all directions
equal amounts of momentum are created
in all directions, so their (vector) sum is zero.
Momentum is conserved.
b You give downward momentum to the Earth;
as you slow down, so does the Earth; as you
start to fall back down, the Earth starts to
fall back up towards you. At all times, your
momentum is equal and opposite to that of
the Earth, so combined momentum is zero,
i.e. conserved.

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics Cambridge University Press 2014

Cambridge International AS Level Physics

8 If u = initial velocity and v = final velocity,

change in momentum of ball
p = mv mu = m(v u) = 0.40 (1.5 (1.2))
= 1.08kgms1
Change in k.e.
Ek = 12 mv2 12 mu2 = 12 m(v2 u2)

Answers to self-assessment questions

11

= 12 0.40 ((1.5)2 (1.2)2) = 0.162J

The wall has gained momentum. The ball
has lost kinetic energy, which has become
thermal energy (heat) of the ball and air.

9 Consider the movement of the moving

ball before the collision. If we take its
direction of movement as the x-axis, and the
perpendicular to its direction of movement
as the y-axis, then compare before and after
the collision.
Before collision: component of momentum
along x-axis only; no component along y-axis.
After collision: the second ball has a
component of momentum along the y-axis
(as it moves away at an angle to the x-axis).
Therefore, to conserve momentum along the
y-axis, after the collision the first ball must
also have an equal and opposite component
of momentum along the y-axis. So the first
12

ball must change direction.
Before

After
v1

v2

10

5.0 kg ms1
36.9

53.1

4.0 kg ms1

3.0 kg ms1

Consider momentum changes in the

y-direction.
Before collision:
momentum = 0
After collision:
component of momentum of particle 1
=2.40sin60 = 2.08kgms1 upwards
component of momentum of particle 2
=2.40sin60 = 2.08kgms1 downwards
These components are equal and opposite
and hence their sum is zero.
Consider momentum changes in the
x-direction.
Before collision:
momentum = 2.40kgms1 to the right
After collision:
component of momentum of particle 1
=2.40cos60 = 1.20kgms1 to the right
component of momentum of particle 2
=2.40cos60 = 1.20kgms1 to the right
Total momentum
= 1.20+1.20 = 2.40kgms1 to the right
Hence momentum is conserved in both the
x- and y-directions, so total momentum is
conserved.

a Component of velocity of first ball in
x-direction = 1.00ms1
Component of velocity of first ball in
y-direction = 0
b Assume that each ball has mass m and that
the second ball has velocity V at an angle
to the x-direction (with components Vx in the
x-direction and Vy in the y-direction)
Consider momentum conservation in the
x-direction:
m1.00 = m0.80cos20+mVx
Cancel m from all terms, so
Vx = 1.000.80cos20 = 0.25ms1
Consider momentum conservation in the
y-direction (taking upwards as positive):
0 = m0.80sin20+mVy
So Vy = 0.80sin20 = 0.27ms1
c Magnitude of velocity of second ball, V, is
given by Pythagoras theorem:
V2 = (Vx)2+(Vy)2
so V = [(0.25)2+(0.27)2] = 0.37ms1

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics Cambridge University Press 2014

Cambridge International AS Level Physics

Answers to self-assessment questions

Direction of velocity of second ball, angle to

the x-direction
V
0.27
= tan1 Vy = tan1 0.25 = 47

( )

( )

13

a Change in momentum
p = mv mu = m(v u) = 1000 (24 10)
= 1.4104kgms1
p

b Force F = t = 1.410
15 = 933N 930N
14

15

a Rearrange F = t to give change in
momentum,
p = Ft = 240 0.25 = 60kgms1 (or 60Ns)
b In the direction of the kicking force.
Force applied to water,
p

F = t =
m

m(v u)
t

= t (v u)
= 10 (0 5.0) = 50N
(negative because force applied to water is
against the direction of water flow)
So force of water on wall = 50N
If the water bounces, a greater force is
applied because of a greater change in
momentum.
16

Force exerted by golf club,

p

m(v u)

F = t = t = 0.046(500)
0.0013
3
= 1.7710 N 1.8kN

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics Cambridge University Press 2014