Edexcel FM Mechanics Impulse & momentum
Topic assessment
1. Two cars are being driven on a level skid pan on which resistances to motion,
acceleration and braking may be all neglected.
Car A, of mass 1200 kg, is travelling at 15 ms-1 when it collides directly with car B, of
mass 800 kg, travelling at 10 ms-1 in the same direction.
(i) Let the speeds of the cars A and B after the collision be vA and vB respectively. Draw
a diagram on which you mark the velocities of the cars before and after the collision.
[2]
(ii) The coefficient of restitution between the cars is 0.8. Write down equations
involving the momentum of each of the cars and their relative speeds before and
after impact. Solve these equations to show that car B has a speed of 15.4 ms-1 after
the impact and find the new speed of car A. [9]
Car B now collides directly with another small car of mass 740 kg which is initially at
rest and becomes entangled with it.
(iii) Find the speed of car B (and the entangled car) after this impact. [2]
(iv) There is now a final direct collision between car A and B (and the entangled car)
after which they separate at a speed of 2.55 ms-1.
Calculate the coefficient of restitution in this impact. [2]
2. A particle Q of mass m is moving in a straight line on a rough horizontal table. The
particle collides with a fixed vertical wall.
Immediately before Q collides with the wall, it is moving with speed u in a direction that
is perpendicular to the wall. In the collision, it receives an impulse of magnitude 95 mu .
(i) Find the coefficient of restitution between the particle and the wall. [2]
(ii) After the collision, the total resistance to the motion of Q is modelled as a constant
force of magnitude 13 mg .
Find, in terms of u and g, the distance of Q from the wall when it comes to rest. [3]
3. My cat Jeoffry has a mass of 4 kg and is sitting on rough ground near a sledge of mass 8
kg. The sledge is on smooth, horizontal ice.
Initially, the sledge is at rest and Jeoffry jumps and lands on it when moving with a
horizontal speed of 2.25 ms-1 parallel to the runners of the sledge. On landing, Jeoffry
grips the sledge with his claws so that he does not move relative to the sledge in the
subsequent motion.
(i) Show that, after Jeoffry lands on it, the sledge moves off with a speed of
0.75 ms-1. [3]
With the sledge and Jeoffry moving at 0.75 ms-1, the sledge collides directly with a
stationary stone of mass 3 kg. The stone may move freely on the ice. The coefficient of
4
restitution in the collision is 15 .
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(ii) Calculate the speed of the sledge and Jeoffry after the collision. [6]
In a new situation, Jeoffry is initially at rest on the sledge when it is stationary. He then
walks from the back to the front of the sledge.
(iii) Giving a brief reason for your answer, describe the motion of the common centre of
mass of Jeoffry and the sledge during his walk. [2]
Jeoffry is sitting on the sledge when it is stationary. He now jumps off. After he has left
the sledge, his horizontal speed relative to the sledge is 3 ms-1.
(iv) With what speed is the sledge travelling after Jeoffry leaves it? [4]
4.
20 ms-1
A wire B line of motion
100 kg 200 kg
Two small spacecraft, A with mass 100 kg and B with mass 200 kg, are modelled as
moving in the absence of external forces. Both spacecraft are moving at 20 ms-1 along the
same line of motion. They are connected by a light wire in the line of motion, as shown in
the diagram above.
In an attempt to bring the spacecraft together, the tension in the wire is instantaneously
increased so that an impulse of magnitude 1100 Ns acts on each of the spacecraft.
(i) Show that the new velocity of A is 31 ms-1 in the original direction of motion and
find the new velocity of B. [3]
3
The spacecraft collide with a direct impact. The coefficient of restitution is 4 .
(ii) Show that the velocity of A after the collision is 11.75 ms-1 in the original direction
of motion. [6]
Before the wire becomes taut again, a component of spacecraft A is fired off in the
opposite direction to the motion of A. The component has mass 20 kg. The main part of A
and the component separate at 70 ms-1.
(iii) Show that the new velocity of the component is 44.25 ms-1 in the opposite direction
to the motion of A. [4]
The two spacecraft now collide and coalesce.
(iv) Calculate the final joint velocity of the two spacecraft. [2]
Total: 45 marks
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Solutions to topic assessment
1. (i)
Before After
15 10 vA vB
A B A B
1200 800 1200 800
[2]
(ii) Conservation of momentum:
1200 15 + 800 10 = 1200v A + 800VB
65 = 3v A + 2v B
Newton’s Law of impact:
v B − v A = e(15 − 10) = 0.8 5 = 4
v A = vB − 4
Substituting: 65 = 3(v B − 4) + 2v B
65 = 3v B − 12 + 2v B
77 = 5 v B
v B = 15.4
The speed of B after the impact is 15.4 ms-1.
v A = v B − 4 = 15.4 − 4 = 11.4
The speed of A after the impact is 11.4 ms-1.
[9]
(iii)
Before After
15.4 v
B
800 740 1540
Conservation of momentum: 800 15.4 = 1540v
v =8
The speed after this impact is 8 ms-1.
[2]
(iv)
Before After
11.4 8
A B A B
1200 1540 1200 1540
Speed of approach = 11.4 − 8 = 3.4
Speed of separation =2.55
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2.55
Coefficient of restitution = = 0.75
3.4
[2]
2. (i)
m u
9
Impulse = mv − ( −mu ) = mu
5
4
v = u
5
Using Newton’s law of restitution: e = 4
5 [2]
2
mg
d = m u .
1 4
(ii) Using the work-energy principle:
3 2 5
24u 2
d= [3]
25 g
3. (i) Initial momentum of cat = 4 2.25 = 9
Final momentum of cat and sledge = 12u
Conservation of momentum: 12u = 9
u = 0.75
The sledge moves off with a speed of 0.75 ms-1.
[3]
(ii)
Before After
0.75 v1 v2
12 kg 3 kg 12 kg 3 kg
Conservation of momentum: 12 0.75 = 12v 1 + 3v 2
3 = 4v 1 + v 2
Newton’s Law of restitution: v 2 − v 1 = 154 0.75 = 0.2
v 2 = v 1 + 0.2
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Substituting: 3 = 4v 1 + v 1 + 0.2
2.8 = 5 v 1
v 1 = 0.56
The speed of the sledge and cat is 0.56 ms-1.
[6]
(iii) The centre of mass remains in the same position, since there is no external
force present in the horizontal direction.
[2]
(iv)
Before After
v1 v2
12 kg 4 kg 8 kg
v 1 − ( −v 2 ) = 3
v 1 +v 2 = 3
Conservation of momentum: 0 = 4v 1 − 8v 2
v 2 = 21 v 1
= 21 (3 − v 2 )
2v 2 = 3 − v 2
3v 2 = 3
v2 = 1
The sledge is travelling at 1 ms-1.
[4]
4. (i) For A: Impulse = change in momentum
1100 = 100(v A − 20)
11 = v A − 20
v A = 31
The new velocity of A is 31 ms-1.
For B: Impulse = change in momentum
−1100 = 200(v B − 20)
−5.5 = v B − 20
v B = 14.5
The new velocity of B is 14.5 ms-1 in the original direction of motion
[3]
(ii)
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Before After
31 14.5 v1 v2
100 kg 200 kg 100 kg 200 kg
Conservation of momentum: (100 31) + (200 14.5 ) = 100v 1 + 200v 2
60 = v 1 + 2v 2
Newton’s Law of restitution: v 2 − v 1 = 43 (31 − 14.5 ) = 12.375
v 2 = v 1 + 12.375
Substituting: 60 = v 1 + 2(v 1 + 12.375 )
60 = v 1 + 2v 1 + 24.75
35.25 = 3v 1
v 1 = 11.75 , v 2 = 24.125
The velocity of A after the collision is 11.75 ms-1 in the original direction
of motion.
[6]
(iii)
Before After
11.75 v1 v2
100 kg 20 kg 80 kg
v 2 −( −v 1 ) = 70
v 1 + v 2 = 70
Conservation of momentum: 100 11.75 = 80v 2 − 20v 1
1175 = 80( 70 − v 1 ) − 20v 1
1175 = 5600 − 80v 1 − 20v 1
100v 1 = 4425
v 1 = 44.25
The new velocity of the component is 44.25 ms-1 in the opposite direction
to the motion of A.
[4]
(iv)
Originally Finally
20 20 44.25 v
100 kg 200 kg 20 kg 280 kg
Conservation of momentum:
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(100 20) + (200 20) = 280v − (20 44.25 )
2000 + 4000 = 280v − 885
280v = 6885
v = 24.6
The final joint velocity is 24.6 ms-1 (3 s.f.) in the original direction.
[2]
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