Lecture 6

Momentum and Collisions

 Outlines
1. Linear momentum
2. Impulse
3. Conservation of momentum
4. Elastic collision
5. Inelastic collision
 Collisions
• Conservation of momentum allows complex
collision problems to be solved without
knowing about the forces involved.
• Information about the average force can be
derived.
 Momentum
• The linear momentum of an object of mass
m moving with a velocity is defined as the
product of the mass and the velocity.
–
– SI Units are kg m / s
– Vector quantity, the direction of the momentum is
the same as the velocity’s
• Momentum is related to kinetic energy.
–
 Impulse
• In order to change the momentum of an object, a force
must be applied.
• The time rate of change of momentum of an object is
equal to the net force acting on it.
– =
(
∆ p m v f − vi ) = F net
∆t ∆t
– Gives an alternative statement of Newton’s second law
– Also valid when the forces are not constant
• When a single, constant force acts on the object, there
is an impulse, delivered to the object.
–
– Vector quantity, the direction is the same as the direction of
the force
– SI unit of impulse: kg . m / s
 Impulse-Momentum Theorem
• The theorem states that the impulse acting on
the object is equal to the change in
momentum of the object.
–
– If the force is not constant, use the average force
applied
 Average Force in Impulse
• The average force can be
thought of as the
constant force that
would give the same
impulse to the object in
the time interval as the
actual time-varying force
gives in the interval.
• The impulse imparted by a force during the time interval
Δt is equal to the area under the force-time graph from the
beginning to the end of the time interval.
• Or, the impulse is equal to the average force multiplied by
the time interval, .
Example 1:
In a crash test, a car of mass 1.50×103 kg collides with a wall
and rebounds as in figure. The initial and final velocities of
the car are vi = -15.0 m/s and vf = 2.60 m/s, respectively. If
the collision lasts for 0.150 s, find
(a) the impulse delivered to the car due to the collision and
(b) the size and direction of the average force exerted on the
car.
 Conservation of Momentum
• Momentum in an isolated system in which a collision
occurs is conserved.
– A collision may be the result of physical contact between two
objects
– “Contact” may also arise from the electrostatic interactions
of the electrons in the surface atoms of the bodies
– An isolated system will have not external forces
• The principle of conservation of momentum states
when no external forces act on a system consisting of
two objects that collide with each other, the total
momentum of the system remains constant in time.
– Specifically, the total momentum before the collision will
equal the total momentum after the collision
Conservation of Momentum, cont.
• Mathematically:

– Momentum is conserved for the system of objects

– The system includes all the objects interacting with each
other
– Assumes only internal forces are acting during the collision
– Can be generalized to any number of objects
 Types of Collisions
• Momentum is conserved in any collision.
• Inelastic collisions.
– Kinetic energy is not conserved
• Some of the kinetic energy is converted into other types
of energy such as heat, sound, work to permanently
deform an object
– Perfectly inelastic collisions occur when the objects
stick together
• Not all of the KE is necessarily lost
• Elastic collision.
– Both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved
• Actual collisions.
– Most collisions fall between elastic and perfectly
inelastic collisions
 Perfectly Inelastic Collisions
• When two objects stick together
after the collision, they have
undergone a perfectly inelastic
collision.
• Conservation of momentum
becomes:
m1v1i + m2 v2i = (m1 + m2 )v f
• Momentum is a vector quantity.
– Direction is important
– Be sure to have the correct signs
 More About Elastic Collisions
• Both momentum and kinetic
energy are conserved
• Typically have two unknowns:
m1v1i + m2 v2i = m1v1 f + m2 v2 f
1
2 m1v12i + 12 m2 v22i = 12 m1v12f + 12 m2 v22 f
• Solve the equations simultaneously.
• A simpler equation can be used in
place of the KE equation:
v1i − v2i = −(v1 f − v2 f )
 Summary of Types of Collisions
• In an elastic collision, both momentum and kinetic
energy are conserved.
• In an inelastic collision, momentum is conserved but
kinetic energy is not.
• In a perfectly inelastic collision, momentum is
conserved, kinetic energy is not, and the two objects
stick together after the collision, so their final
velocities are the same.
Example 2:
A pickup truck with mass 1.80×103 kg is traveling eastbound
at +15.0 m/s, while a compact car with mass 9.00×102 kg is
traveling westbound at -15.0 m/s. The vehicles collide head-
on, becoming entangled.
(a) Find the speed of the
entangled vehicles after the
collision.
(b) Find the change in the
velocity of each vehicle.
(c) Find the change in the
kinetic energy of the system
consisting of both vehicles.
Example 3:
The ballistic pendulum (Fig. a) is a device used to measure
the speed of a fast-moving projectile such as a bullet. The
bullet is fired into a large block of wood suspended from
some light wires. The bullet is stopped by the block, and the
entire system swings up to a height h. It is possible to obtain
the initial speed of the bullet by measuring h and the two
masses. As an example of the technique, assume that the
mass of the bullet, m1, is 5.00 g, the mass of the pendulum,
m2, is 1.000 kg, and h is 5.00 cm.

(a) Find the velocity of the

system after the bullet
embeds in the block.
(b) Calculate the initial speed of
the bullet.
Example 4:
Two billiard balls of identical mass move
toward each other as in figure, with the
positive x-axis to the right. Assume that
the collision between them is perfectly
elastic. If the initial velocities of the balls
are 30.0 cm/s and -20.0 cm/s, what are
the velocities of the balls after the
collision? Assume friction and rotation
are unimportant.
 Lecture 7
Rotational Motion and Dynamics
Uniform circular motion
 Centripetal Acceleration
• In uniform circular motion,
though an object move in
constant speed, will have an
acceleration.
• This acceleration is due to
the change in the direction
of the velocity and is
directed toward the center of
the circle of motion

Section 7.4
 Centripetal Acceleration
• The magnitude of the centripetal acceleration is
given by

2
v
ac =
r

a c = rω 2

Section 7.4
 Total Acceleration
• The tangential component of the acceleration
is due to changing speed
• The centripetal component of the acceleration
is due to changing direction
• Total acceleration can be found from these
components
Example 5
A race car accelerates uniformly from a speed of
40.0 m/s to a speed of 60.0 m/s in 5.00 s while
traveling counterclockwise around a circular track
of radius 400 m. When the car reaches a speed of
50.0 m/s, find
a. The magnitude of the car’s centripetal
acceleration,
b. The angular speed,
c. The magnitude of the tangential acceleration,
d. The magnitude of the total acceleration.
 Vector Nature of Angular Quantities
• Angular displacement,
velocity and acceleration
are all vector quantities
• Direction can be more
completely defined by
using the right hand rule
– Grasp the axis of rotation
with your right hand
– Wrap your fingers in the
direction of rotation
– Your thumb points in the
direction of ω

Section 7.4
 Forces Causing Centripetal Acceleration

• Newton’s Second Law says that the centripetal

acceleration is accompanied by a force
– FC = maC
– FC stands for any force that keeps an object
following a circular path
• Tension in a string
• Gravity
• Force of friction

Section 7.4
 Centripetal Force Example
• A puck of mass m is
attached to a string
• Its weight is supported
by a frictionless table
• The tension in the string
causes the puck to
move in a circle

Section 7.4
 Centripetal Force
• General equation

• If the force vanishes, the object will move in a

straight line tangent to the circle of motion
• Centripetal force is a classification that includes
forces acting toward a central point
– It is not a force in itself
– A centripetal force must be supplied by some actual,
physical force

Section 7.4
 Problem Solving Strategy
• Draw a free body diagram
• Choose a coordinate system
• Find the net force toward the center
• Use Newton’s second law
• Solve for the unknown(s)

Section 7.4
 Level Curves
• Friction is the force that
produces the
centripetal acceleration
• Can find the frictional
force, µ, or v

Section 7.4
Example 6
A car travels at a constant speed
of 30.0 mi/h (13.4 m/s) on a level
circular turn of radius 50.0 m.
What minimum coefficient of
static friction, μs between the
tires and roadways will allow the
car to make the circular turn
without sliding?

Ans: 0.366
 Applications of Forces Causing
Centripetal Acceleration
• Many specific situations will use forces that
cause centripetal acceleration
– Level curves
– Banked curves
– Horizontal circles
– Vertical circles

Section 7.4
 Banked Curves
• A component of the
normal force adds to
the frictional force to
allow higher speeds

Section 7.4
Example 7
A race car is moving on a
speedway with courses
features of 31.0° banked
curves, with maximum radius
of 316 m. Find
(a) The necessary centripetal
acceleration on this
banked curve so the car
won’t slip down or slide
up the incline. (Neglect
friction)
(b) Calculate the speed of
the car

Ans: (a) 5.89 m⁄s ; (b) 43.1 m⁄s

 Vertical Circle
• Look at the forces at the
top of the circle
• The minimum speed at
the top of the circle can
be found

Note also that the positive direction is always

along acceleration, i.e., toward the center of
the circle.
 Motion in a Vertical Circle
Consider the forces on a a vehicle moves on a track in
a vertical loop, a loop-the-loop.
mv 2
AT TOP: ∑ F top = r
+ mv 2
v mg FN + mg =
2
r
mv
FN = − mg
r
R FN
mv 2
AT BOTTOM: ∑ F btm = r
v
mv 2
FN FN − mg =
2
r
mv
+ FN = + mg
r
mg
 Motion in a Vertical Circle
Consider the forces on a passenger in Ferris wheel, moves
on a track in a vertical loop.
AT TOP: mv 2
∑ F top = r
FN mv 2
v − FN + mg =
+ r2
mv
FN = mg −
mg r
R
mv 2
v
AT BOTTOM: ∑ F btm = r
FN FN − mg =
mv 2
2
r
+ mv
FN = + mg
r
mg
Example 8
A roller-coaster car moving
around a circular loop of radius R.
(a) What speed must the car
have so that it will just make
it over the top without any
assistance from the track?
(b) What speed will the car
subsequently have at the
bottom of the loop?
(c) What will be the normal
force on a passenger at the
bottom of the loop with
radius of 10 m.
Example 9
A “swing” ride at a carnival consists of chairs that are swung in
a circle by 15.0 m cables attached to a vertical rotation pole,
as the drawing shows. Suppose the total mass of a chair and
this occupant is 179 kg.
(a) Determine the tension in the cable attached to the chair.
(b) Find the speed of the chair.

15.0 m
 Forces in Accelerating Reference Frames

• Distinguish real forces from fictitious forces

• “Centrifugal” force is a fictitious force
– It most often is the absence of an adequate
centripetal force
– Arises from measuring phenomena in a
noninertial reference frame

Section 7.4