Momentum

All objects have mass; so if an object is

moving, then it has momentum - it has
its mass in motion.
The amount of momentum which an
object has is dependent upon two
variables:
how much matter is moving?
how fast the matter is moving?

 Momentum: "mass in motion

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

Momentum Questions
1. Determine the momentum of a ...
a.) 60 kg halfback moving eastward at 9 m/s.
p = 540 kg*m/s, east

b.) 1000 kg car moving northward at 20 m/s.

p = 20,000 kg*m/s, north

c.) 40 kg man moving southward at 2 m/s.

p = 80 kg*m/s, south

IMPULSE A force applied for a

period of time which results in a
change of momentum.
Impulse = change in momentum
Ft = p = pf - pi
Ft = mvf - mvi

Ft = m (vf vi)

Impulse
A 57 gram tennis ball falls on sand. The ball changes
velocity from -1.2 m/s to +0 m/s in 0.02 s.
What is the change in momentum of the ball?
What is the average force on the ball?
Mass = 57 g = 0.057 kg
Pi = m*vi = 0.057 kg (-1.2 m/s) = -0.0684 kg*m/s
Pf = m*vf = 0.057 kg (0 m/s) =
P = Pf Pi = (0 kg*m/s) - (-0.0684 kg*m/s)
Pf Pi = 0.0684 kg*m/s
using Ft = P
F x (0.02 s) = 0.0684 kg*m/s
F= 3.42 N

Impulse
A 57 gram tennis ball falls on a tile floor. The ball
changes velocity from -1.2 m/s to +1.2 m/s in 0.02 s.
What is the change in momentum of the ball?
What is the average force on the ball?
Mass = 57 g = 0.057 kg
Pi = m*vi = 0.057 kg (-1.2 m/s) = -0.0684 kg*m/s
Pf = m*vf = 0.057 kg (1.2 m/s) = 0.0684 kg*m/s
P = Pf Pi = (0.0684 kg*m/s) - (-0.0684 kg*m/s)
Pf Pi = 0.1368 kg*m/s
using Ft = P
F x (0.02 s) = 0.1368 kg*m/s
F= 6.84 N

Applications of the
Conservation of Momentum

Inelastic collisions
A train car moving to the right at 10 m/s
collides with a parked train car.
They stick together and roll along the
track.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

If the moving car has a mass of 8,000 kg

and the parked car has a mass of 2,000
kg, what is their combined velocity after
the collision?

You are asked for the final velocity.

You are given masses, and
initial velocity of the moving train car.
Diagram the problem
m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2) V
Solve for V = (merged velocity)
m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2) V
(8,000 kg)(10 m/s) + (2,000 kg)(0 m/s)= (8,000 + 2,000 kg)V
(80,000 kg*m/s) + (0kg*m/s)= (10,000 kg) V

V = (80,000 kg*m/s) / 10,000 kg

V = 8 m/s
The train cars moving together to right at 8 m/s.

7 kg
35 g

700 m/s
v=0

A rifle fires a bullet into a giant slab of wood on a frictionless surface. The bullet gets
embedded on the slab of wood. Find the final velocity of the slab of wood with the
bullet inside it.

Inelastic collisions (Head-on collisions)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A 6 kg fish swimming at 1 m/sec swallows a 2 kg fish that is swimming

towards it at 2 m/sec. Find the velocity of the fish immediately after
lunch.
You are asked for the final velocity.
You are given masses, and initial velocity of the fishes.
Diagram the problem
m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2) V
Solve for V = (merged velocity)
momentum

before

= momentum

after

(m big fishv big fish) + (msmall fishvsmall fish) = (m big fish + msmall fish) V
(6 kg)(1 m/s) + (2 kg)( -2 m/s) = (6 kg + 2 kg) V
6 kg.m/sec + -4 kg.m/sec = (8 kg) V
2 kg.m/sec = (8 kg) V
V = m/sec

Inelastic collisions (The chase)

1.
2.

A 6 kg fish is chasing and eventually swallows a 2 kg fish that is swimming

away from it at 2 m/sec (to the right). After lunch, the two fishes (after
the big one swallowed the small one) moves 3 m/s to the right.
Find the initial velocity of the big fish.
Diagram the problem
m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2) V

3.

Solve for v big fish

momentum

before

= momentum

after

(m big fishv big fish) + (msmall fishvsmall fish) = (m big fish + msmall fish) V
(6 kg)(v big fish) + (2 kg)( 2 m/s) = (6 kg + 2 kg) 3m/s
6 kg. (v big fish) + 4 kg.m/sec = (8 kg) 3 m/s
6 kg (v big fish) + 4 kg.m/sec = 24 kg m/s
6 kg (v big fish) = 20 kg m/s
v big fish = 20/6 m/s or 3.33 m/s

Inelastic collisions (The recoil)

1.
2.
3.

One of those Civil War cannons is fired. It fires a cannon ball at a velocity of
150 m/s. The cannon has a mass of 1200 kg and a recoil velocity of -2 m/s.
What is the mass of the cannon ball
Find the mass of the canon ball.
Diagram the problem
(m1 + m2) V = m1v1 + m2v2
Solve for m ball
momentum before = momentum after
(m cannon + mcannon ball) V = m cannon v cannon + m cannonball v cannonball
(1200 + m)(0) = 1200 kg (-2 m/s) + m (150 m/s)
0 = -2400 kg*m/s + m (150 m/s)
2400 kg*m/s = m (150 m/s)
m = (2400 kg*m/s)
(150 m/s)
m = 16 kg

Inelastic collisions (Fireworks - explosion)

A 1 kg fireworks rocket is moving at a speed of v = 50 m/s. The rocket
suddenly breaks into two pieces (mass1 = 600 grams, mass2 = 400 grams).
If the velocity of the bigger mass is 60 m/s, what is the velocity of the other
mass?
Find the velocity of the smaller mass.
1.
Diagram the problem
2.
(m1 + m2) V = m1v1 + m2v2
3.
Solve for m 2
momentum before = momentum after
(m 1 + m2) V = m1 v1 + m2 v2
(0.60 kg + 0.40 kg)(50 m/s) = (0.60 kg * 60 m/s) + (0.40 kg (v2))
50 kg*m/s
= 36 kg*m/s + (0.40 kg (v2))
14 kg*m/s
= 0.40 kg (v2)
v2
= (14 kg*m/s)
(0.40 kg)
v2
= 35 m/s