Module 6 IMPULSE AND MOMENTUM
The impulse of a force is the product of the force and the time during which it
acts. Impulse is a vector quantity having the direction of the force. When a force
acts on an object that is free to move, its change in momentum equals the impulse
given it by the force.
The law of conservation of momentum states that when the vector sum of the external
force acting on a system of particles equals zero the total linear momentum of the
system remains constant.
The thrust of the rocket is the force that results from the expulsion of exhaust
gases.
In an elastic collision kinetic energy is conserved. In an inelastic collision KE
is not conserved. A completely inelastic collision is one in which the objects
stick together on impact, which results in the maximum possible KE loss. Linear
momentum is conserved in all collisions.
The coefficient of restitution is the ration between the relative speeds of two
colliding objects after and before they collide. It equals 1 for an elastic
collision and 0 for a completely inelastic collision.
Important Formulas
Linear momentum: p = mv
Impulse and momentum change: F Δt = Δ(mv)
Thrust: F = v
Elastic collision: v1 – v2 = - ()
Coefficient of restitution: e =
Example 1 The head of a golf club is contact with a 46 g golf ball for 0.05
ms (1 ms = 1 millisecond = 10-3 s), and as a result the ball flies off at 70 m/s.
Find the average force that was acting on the ball during the impact.
Solution: The ball starts from the rest, hence its momentum change is
Δmv = (0.046 kg)(70 m/s) = 3.22 kg.m/s
From eq. have
This value is equivalent to 1450 lb. A force of the same magnitude but acting in
the opposite direction (the recoil force) acts on the club’s head during the
impact, in accord with the third law of motion. No golf club could withstand such a
static load, but the impact is so brief that is only effect on the shaft is to bend
it temporarily by a few centimetres.
Example 2 What effect on its momentum does doubling the kinetic energy of a
moving object have?
Solution: The object’s initial kinetic energy is KE1 = ½ , and its final
kinetic energy is KE2 = ½ . Since KE2 = 2KE1,
½ = 2(1/2 )
= 2
=
Hence
p2 = mv2 = =
The object’s momentum has increased by a factor of .
Example 3 A 5 kg lump of clay that is moving at 10 m/s to the left strikes a
6 kg lump of clay moving at 12 m/s to the right. The two lumps stick together after
they collide. Find the final speed of the composite object and the kinetic energy
dissipated in the collision.
Solution: This is an example of a completely inelastic collision. If we
call the
mass of the final object M and its velocity V, conservation of linear momentum
requires that
Final momentum = initial momentum
MV = m1v1 + m2v2
Adopting the convention that motion to the right is + and to the left is -, we have
m1 = 5 kg m2 = 6 kg M = m1 +
m2 = 11kg
v1 = -10 kg v2 = + 12 m/s
V = ?
m2v2 = 72 kg.m/s m1v1 = -50 kg.m/s
m2 m1
v2 v1
KE2 = 432 J KE1 = 250 J
M
V
KE3 = 22 J
Solving for V yields
V = = 2 m/s
Since V is positive, the composite body moves off to the right
Energy and momentum are distinct concepts. The lumps of clay before the collision
have the kinetic energies.
KE1 = = (5 kg)(- 10 m/s)2 = 250 J
KE2 = = (6 kg)(12 m/s)2 = 432 J
After the collision the new lump of clay has the kinetic energy
KE3 = = (11 kg)(2 m/s)2 = 22 J
The total kinetic energy prior to the collision was 432 + 250 or 682 J, whereas
afterward it is only 22 J. The difference of 660 J was dissipated largely into heat
in the collision, with some probably being lost to sound energy as well.
Example 4 A ball rolling on a level table strikes head-on an identical ball
that is at rest, as in Fig. 5.14. What is the result of the collision?
Solution: Here v2 = 0, so from Eq. (5.8)
v1 =
From conservation of momentum, since the balls have the same mass m,
m1v1 + m2v2 = m1 + m2
mv1 + 0 = m + m
v1 = +
Setting equal these two formulas for v1 gives
- = +
-2 = 0
= 0
The first ball has no speed after the collision, which means it comes to a stop.
For the final speed of the second ball, which was originally at rest, we can use
either of the formulas for v1 with = 0. Thus
= - = =
The second ball begins to move with the speed . The two balls have exchange their
initial velocities.
1
v1
1
v2’
The results of the preceding problem help us to understand the operation of the toy
shown, which consists of a number of identical steel balls to strike the row of
stationary balls, an one ball at the right swings out in response. Why not two
balls, or indeed at the others?
The answer is that both momentum and KE can be considered only if a single ball
swings out the right. If two balls were to swing out, their joint mass would be
twice that of the ball on the left, and to conserve momentum their initial speed
would have to be half of the ball on the left. But the combined kinetic energies of
the two balls would then be half that of the ball on the left:
One ball on left Two balls on right
Momentum: mv =
Kinetic energy: mv2 ≠ m + m = mv2
Only if half the initial KE is lost can two balls swing out. The same reasoning
shows why, if two balls are pulled out the left and released, as shown, two balls
at the right will swing out after the collision, and so on.
What about the case when more than half the balls are pulled out to the left? In
that event the balls at the left cannot give up all their momentum and KE to the
balls at the right, and so several of the pulled-out balls continue to move to the
right after the collision.
SUPPLEMENTARY PROBLEMS
Linear Momentum and Impulse
1. Find the momentum of a 50 g bullet whose KE is 250 J.
2. Find the momentum of a giraffe galloping at 20 km/h whose KE is 6.0 kJ.
3. Car A has a mass of 1000 kg and is moving at 60 km/h. Car B has a mass of 2000
kg and is moving at 30 km/h. Compare the kinetic energies and momentum of the two
cars.
4. A 1000 kg car strikes a tree at 30 km/h and comes to a stop in 0.15 s. Find its
initial momentum and the average force on the care while it is being stopped.
5. A hunter has a rifle that can fire 60-g bullets with a speed of 900 m/s. A 40
kg leopard springs at him at 10 m/s. How many bullets must the hunter fire into the
leopard in order to stop him in this track?
6. A 10 kg iron ball rolling at 2.0 m/s on a horizontal surface strikes a 1.0 kg
wooden ball of the same size that is at rest. What is the speed of each ball after
the collision? What proportion of the iron ball’s original KE transferred to the
wooden ball?
