Worksheet Week 3
Worksheet Week 3
Worksheet Week 3
CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM
According to physics general law, the quantity called momentum that characterizes motion never
changes in an isolated collection of objects; that is, the systems total momentum remains constant. Thus, for
an isolated system, the total momentum before interaction equals the total momentum after interactions. This
statement is called conservation of momentum.
Momentum is the mass and velocity product and is equivalent to the force required to bring the object
to a stop. For an array of several things, the total momentum is the sum of the individual momenta. Momentum
is a vector quantity, involving both the direction and the magnitude of motion. The rates of the bodies going in
opposite directions can cancel to yield an overall sum of zero.
Example 1a
Two ice skaters stand together as shown in Figure 4. They boy pushes the girl
with a velocity of 1.50 m/s. Similarly, the girl pushes the boy in opposite direction. If the
boy weighs 784 N and the girl, 490 N, what is the girl’s velocity after they push off? (The
ice is considered to be frictionless.)
Solution:
W = mg, thus, m = W/g (Use g = 9.8 m/s2)
Mass Velocity
Boy 80.00 kg 1.5 m/s
Girl 50.0 kg ?
There is no external force present; hence, the ice where they stand on is considered to be frictionless.
The momentum of the boy-girl system is conserved. There is no change in the momentum of the system
before and after the push- off.
Example 1b
Two ice skaters stand together. They boy pushes the girl with a speed of +0.50 m/s and the girl pushes the boy
in opposite direction with a speed of -0.65 m/s. If the mass of the boy is 50 kg, what is the girl’s mass?
(Consider the ice to be frictionless.)
Solution:
The momentum of the boy-girl system is conserved. There is no change in the momentum of the system
before and after the push off.
2. Inelastic collision – states that the system’s total kinetic energy changes (i.e., converted to some other
form of energy). Collision is said to be perfectly inelastic if after collision the objects stick together and
move as one mass with one velocity.
Examples:
- Celestial bodies collide, like two asteroids, they fuse together to form a larger body.
Equation:
Total momentum before collision= total momentum after collision
(m1v1 + m2v2) before = (m1+m2)v after
Example 2
A 300 g bicycle moves on an air track at 1.2 m/s. It collides with and sticks to another bike of mass 500
g, which was stationary before collision. What is the velocity of the combined bikes after collision?
Solution
Convert the unit of mass in grams to kg. (1kg = 1000g)
Mass Velocity
(before collision)
bicycle 1 0.30 kg 1.2 m/s
bicycle 2 0.50 kg 0
The total momentum of the system is conserved before and after the collision.
ACTIVITIES:
Activity 1: Complete Me!
Directions: Complete the statements below with the correct words.
1. Conservation of momentum states that the total momentum before collision is _______________ to the
total momentum after collision.
2. In elastic collision, colliding objects_________________ off after collision.
3. Bodies that stick together after collision is said to be ___________________collision.
4. When momentum is neither gained nor lost, we say that momentum is ______________________.
5. Equation of inelastic collision is ( m1v1 + m2v2) before = (________________)v after.