CHAPTER Lecture Module 8

8 MOMENTUM AND IMPULSE

Objectives:
1. Define the momentum of an object
2. Determine the impulse given to an object
3. Apply conservation of momentum to a variety of problems
4. Distinguish between elastic and inelastic collisions
5. Solve conservation of momentum problems for both types of collisions

8.1. LINEAR MOMENTUM 

This refers to the tendency of a moving object to continue moving and to the difficulty encountered in
reducing that motion. It is the amount of motion possessed by a body. It is defined as the product of mass m
and velocity v, and is a vector quantity. It is usually called simply as momentum v. The direction of the momentum
is the same as the direction of the velocity. The magnitude is given by
m

v
 = mv

The units for measuring momentum are kg-m/s (MKS), g-cm/s (CGS) and slug-ft/s (FPS).

Example Problem:
Compare the momentum of van of mass 2500 kg moving at 5 m/s with that of a 500 kg tricycle moving
at 50 m/s.

Solution:
Given:
mt = 500 kg mv =2.50x 103 kg
vt = 50 m/s vb = 5 m/s
Required:
Compare momentums
Computation:
From the definition of momentum p = mv, we apply this definition to determine the momentum of the van and
the tricycle.
pvan = mvanvvan This means that we have to multiply the
= (2500 kg)(5 m/s) mass of the object with its velocity
= 12,500 kg-m/s
ptricycle =mtricyclevtricycle
= (500 kg)( 50m/s)
= 25,000 kg-m/s
We could compare the momentum of the van and tricycle by taking the ratio of the two and this gives us the
following:
Ptricycle/pvan = 25,000/12,500
=2
This implies that the momentum of the tricycle is twice the momentum of the van.

8.2. LINEAR IMPULSE (I)

The linear impulse is the product of force (F) and the time (t) during which this force acts. F may
be the average force if the value of the force is not constant, as in collisions and explosions.

vi vf
F m
to t
I = Ft

Physics for Engineers Lecture Module 1

8.3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IMPULSE AND MOMENTUM
In general, if the force is constant at initial time t=to to any time t = t,
I = F(t - to)
And since from 2nd law of Newton
F = ma where a = dv/dt
= m dv/dt
= d(mv) / dt
= dp/dt since p = mv
Fdt = dp
F(t-to) = p – po
F(t-to ) = mv – mvo

For a two or three dimensional force

from F(t-to ) = mv – mvo at to =0, then
Fxt = mvx – mvxo
Fyt = mvy – mvyo
Fxt = mvz – mvzo
If there are several forces acting on the body or the value of the force is not constant as in collisions and
explosions, then the Force F could be time average force Fave.
Fave ( t – to) = mv - mvo

Example Problem 1:
A 150-gram mass moving with a velocity of 25 m/s strikes a wall and is brought to a stop in 0.20 seconds.
(a) Find the impulse due to the force exerted on the body by the wall. (b) Calculate the average stopping force
on the body.

Solution:
Given:
vi =25m/s vf =0
F
m = 150 g
t = 0.20 s

Required:
a. Impulse due to the force F ( I)
b. Average force ( F)
Computation:
From the derived relationship of Impulse and momentum
a. I = mvf – mvi
= m(vf – mvi)
= 0.15 kg (0 – 25 m/s)
= -3.75 N.s

b. From the definition of impulse I = Ft, we can derive the equation of F by dividing both sides with t, this
gives us
F = I/t
Substituting the computed value of I and the given time t gives us
F = -3.75 N.s / 0.20 s
= -18.75 N

Example Problem 2:
A baseball of mass 0.25 kg is struck by a bat. Just before impact the ball is traveling horizontally at 40
m/s and it leaves the bat at an angle of 30o above horizontal with a speed of 60 m/s. If the ball and bat were
in contact for 0.005 s, find the horizontal and vertical component of the average force on the ball.

Solution:
Given: Below shows the diagram of given condition:
Before: After
vi =40m/s vf =60 m/s

30o
m = 0.25 kg F t = 0.005 s

Physics for Engineers Lecture Module 2

 Required: Horizontal and vertical components of the force F
Fx, Fy

Computation:
The velocity is two dimensional since it has an x and y component, we then use the definition of impulse
for each x and y component to determine the corresponding x and y component of the force:
Ix = Fxt
Fx = Ix/t
= m(vfx – mvix)/t
= 0.25(60cos30 – 40)
0.005
= 598.08N
Fy = Iy/t
= m(vfy – mviy)/t
= 0.25(60sin30 – 0)
0.005
= 1500N

For force changing with time:

Again from 2nd law of Newton
F = ma
And since a = dv/dt, then
F = m dv/dt
Fdt = mdv
t V

t0
Fdt = 
V0
mdv
V V
V0
mdv = m  dv = m (v – vo)
V0
t

t0
Fdt = mv - mvo

Example Problem 3:
A force F = 30N-(5t N/s)t is applied to an object of mass 2 kg. If the object was originally at rest, find the
velocity after the force has acted for 0.15 s.

Solution:
Given:
F = 30N-(5N/s) t
m = 2 kg
vo = 0 since object was originally at rest
t = 0.15 s

Required:
v at t = 0.15 s.

Computation:
Since the given force changes with time as implied by the t in the given equation
F = 30-5t,
then we use the equation of impulse in relation with momentum with a varying force:
t
I=  t0
Fdt
We then substitute the given equation of F = 30 – 5t to the equation, this will give us
0.15
I= 
0
(30 − 5t )dt
We then integrate both side of the equation and this will give us
I = [30𝑡 − 5𝑡 2 /2]0.15
0
And since I = m(v - vo) where m is given to be 2 kg and vo = 0, then
[30𝑡 − 5𝑡 2 /2]0.15
0 = 2(v – 0)
We now substitute the upper and lower limits of t to the right side of the equation and this will
give us
[30(0.15) – 5(0.15)2/2] – [30(0) -5(0)2/2 ] = 2v

Physics for Engineers Lecture Module 3

 4.44375 - 0 = 2v
4.44375 = 2v
Dividing both sides by 2 gives us
v = 2.22 m/s

8.4. LAW OF CONSERVATION OF LINEAR MOMENTUM

The idea or concept of momentum is important especially in collisions and explosions (where the force
of interaction is not constant and the time involved is very small) because it is a quantity that is conserved.
The law of conservation of linear momentum may be stated as:
“If there are no external forces acting on an object or a system of objects, then the
linear momentum before a collision or explosion is equal to the total linear
momentum after the collision or explosion. The total linear momentum does not
change; it remains constant.”
before = after
P = m1v1 + m2v2+ …+ mnvn
Pf = Pi
MvCM = P
= mi vi = constant

Example Application1:
Lets say that there are two moving balls and colliding after some time with the corresponding speeds and
directions:
A B
If before collision:
UA uB
and after collision:
vA vB
where uA, uB, vA, vB correspond to the velocities before and after collision respectively

then applying the Law of Conservation of momentum, we have

before = after
PAbefore + pBbefore = pAafter + pBafter
mAuA + mBuB = mA vA + mB vB

Example Application2:
Given the balls 1 and 2 with the following directions before and after collision:
Before Collision:
u1 u2
After Collision:
v1 v2

Applying the law of Conservation of momentum will give us

before = after
p1before + p2before = p1after + p2after
m1 u1 + m2(-u2) = m1 (-v1)+ m2 v2
m1 u1 - m2u2 = - m1v1+ m2 v2
**** take note of the difference in the derived equation due to direction differences.

Example Problem:
A truck of mass 6 x 104 kg collides with a stationary empty car of mass 1 x 104 kg while moving at 6 m/s on
a level road. At collision, the cars couple together. What is the subsequent velocity of the moving car?

Solution:
Given:
Before Collision: After collision:
4
mt =6 x 10 kg

ut = 6m/s
v
uc = 0 mc =1 x 104 kg

Physics for Engineers Lecture Module 4

Required:
v

Computation:
Before collision, only the truck is moving and the car is at rest, then only one momentum before collision.
pbefore = ptruck = pt

After collision the two vehicles adhere with each other, this implied that they are moving as one body, then again
only one momentum after collision.
pafter = ptruck+car = pt+c

if we apply the law of conservation of momentum:

pt = pt+c where pt = momentum of the truck
pt+c = momentum of the combined truck and car

applying the definition of momentum p = mv on both side of the equation will give us
mtvt = mc+tvt+c where the unknown v = vt+c

simplifying the equation to determine v gives us

vt+c = mtvt/ mt+c
= [(1 x 104)(10 m/s)]/(1 x 104+5000)
v = 6.67 m/s towards direction of truck initially

8.5. COEFFICIENT OF RESTITUTION, e

The coefficient of restitution e measures how elastic a collision is. It is the negative ratio of the relative
velocity after collision v2 – v1 to the relative velocity before collision u2 – u1.
Lets say we have the two balls moving at the directions before and after collision given below:
Before Collision:
u1 u2
After Collision:
v1 v2
Then from the definition of coefficient of momentum, we have
e = - (v2 – v1)/ (u2 – u1)

Example application:
If this is the given directions of the two balls before and after collision:

Before Collision:
u1 u2
After Collision:
v1 v2

From e definition:
e = - [(v2 – (-v1)]/(-u2 – u1)
= - (v2 +v1)]/ -(u2 + u1)
= (v2 +v1)]/(u2 + u1)

For perfectly elastic collisions, the value of e = 1. For perfectly inelastic collisions, e = 0. Generally, however,
the value of e is between 1 and 0.

Example Problem:
Two balls A and B, weighing 49 N each, approach each other with speeds of 20 m/s and 10 m/s, respectively.
If the coefficient of restitution is 0.60, find their velocities after collision.

Solution:
Given:
Before Collision: WA= WB = 49 N
uA =20m/s uB= 10m/s

e = 0.60
After Collision: assuming the following directions after collision
vA vB

Physics for Engineers Lecture Module 5

 Required:
vA ,vB

Computation:
In the application of the coefficient of restitution definition and law of conservation of energy, the mass of
the objects is utilized. In the problem, only the weights of the two balls are given so their masses should be
determined first. The mass of balls A and B could be computed using the definition of weight W = mg where m
could be derived as
m= W/g
since the two balls have the same weight, then it follows that they have the same mass
mA= mB = 49 N/9.8 = 5 kg

From e definition applied to the problem with the corresponding velocity directions, we have
e = - [(vB – (-vA)]/ (-uB – uA)
= - (vB +vA)]/ -(uB + uA)
= (vB +vA)]/(uB + uA)

Substituting the given value of e = .60, and the given values of speeds before collision (uB = 20 m/s and
uA= 10 m/s) gives us
0.60 = (vB +vA )
20+10
0.60(30) = vB +vA
1.8 = vB +vA E1

From Law of Conservation of momentum

before = after
Both balls A and B are moving before and after collision therefore
p1before + p2before = p1after + p2after
Applying the definition of momentum p = mv gives us
mAuA + mB(-uB) = mA (-vA)+ mB vB
mA uA- mBuB = - mAvA+ mB vB

Substituting the mass and speed values gives us

5(20) – 5(10) = - 5vA + 5 vB
100 – 50 = - 5vA + 5 vB
50 = - 5vA + 5 vB
10 = -vA + vB E2

We determine vA and vB using ellimination by addition:

1.8 = vB +vA E1
+ 10 = -vA + vB E2
11.8 = 2VB

Solving for vB gives us since the value computed is positive, this indicates that the
vB =11.8/2 assumed direction of ball B after collision is correct which is
= 5.9 m/s
directed East.
VB = 5.9 m/s due East

The value of vA could be determined by using either equation 1 or 2. The computation of \vA below makes
use of equation 1.
1.8 = vB +vA
vA =1.8- vB
substituting the value of vB = 5.9 m/s to equation 1 gives us
vA = 1.8 - vB
= 1.8 – 5.9 The negative sign indicates that the assumed direction of ball
= - 4.1 m/s A after collision is not directed West but in the opposite
Then direction which is directed East.
vA = 4.1 m/s due east

Physics for Engineers Lecture Module 6

NAME:__________________________________________________ DATE:________________
SCHEDULE:_____________________________________________

PY 21 Lecture Activity No.8

MOMENTUM AND IMPULSE

Solve the following problems:

1. Compute the momentum of a baseball, which has a mass of 100 g and is moving with a velocity of 70
m/s.

2. A force magnitude F = A + Bt2 and directed to the right is applied to an object of mass m starting at t=0
and continuing until t = 2 seconds. If A is 30N and B = 20 kg-m,
a. What is the impulse I of the force?
b. If the object was initially at rest, what is its velocity at time t = 2 seconds?

3. 2-kg ball A and a 5-kg ball B have speeds of 3 m/s and 4.5 m/s, respectively as they approach each
other. Find their speeds after a perfect collision happen between the two balls.

Physics for Engineers Lecture Module 7