PRINCE OF WALES SCHOOL PHYSICS DEPARTMENT
TUTOR: Samuel Casangnell-Macarthy DURATION: Week 1-week 2
COLLISIONS IN PHYSICS
This week, we studied the concept of collisions in physics. A collision is an event where two or more
objects come in contact with each other with a certain force. The study of collisions is crucial for
understanding how objects interact and transfer energy in different situations.
1. Definition of Collision
A collision occurs when two or more objects come in contact with each other, often with
some force, over a short period of time. Collisions can happen in various contexts, such as
in car crashes, sports, or even in particle physics.
2. Types of Collision
There are three main types of collisions:
a) Elastic Collision
Definition: An elastic collision is one in which both momentum and kinetic energy
are conserved.
Since both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved, we have the following equations:
Formula: 𝑚1 𝑢1 + 𝑚2 𝑢2 = 𝑚1 𝑣1 + 𝑚2 𝑣2 (Momentum conservation)
Where 𝑚1 , 𝑚2 = masses of the objects;
𝑢1 , 𝑢2 = initial velocities of the objects
𝑣1 , 𝑣2 = final velocoties of the objects
1 1 1 1
𝑚1 (𝑢1 )2 + 𝑚2 (𝑢2 )2 = 𝑚1 (𝑣1 )2 + 𝑚2 (𝑣2 )2 (Kinetic energy conservation)
2 2 2 2
b) Inelastic Collision
Definition: In an inelastic collision, momentum is conserved, but kinetic energy is
not. Some kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy, such as heat or
sound.
Formula: 𝑚1 𝑢1 + 𝑚2 𝑢2 = 𝑚1 𝑣1 + 𝑚2 𝑣2 (Momentum conservation)
Where 𝑚1 , 𝑚2 = masses of the objects;
𝑢1 , 𝑢2 = initial velocities of the objects
𝑣1 , 𝑣2 = final velocoties of the objects
However Kinetic energy is not conserved
1 1 1 1
𝑚1 (𝑢1 )2 + 𝑚2 (𝑢2 )2 > 𝑚1 (𝑣1 )2 + 𝑚2 (𝑣2 )2
2 2 2 2
c) Perfectly Inelastic Collision
Definition: A perfectly inelastic collision is when the two colliding objects stick
together after the collision, moving as one object. Momentum is conserved, but
maximum kinetic energy is lost.
In this case, 𝑣1 = 𝑣2 = 𝑣; where 𝑣 is known as the common velocity;
Formula: 𝑚1 𝑢1 + 𝑚2 𝑢2 = 𝑣(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 )
3. Conservation of Linear Momentum
The law of conservation of linear momentum states that the total momentum of a system of
particles remains constant, provided no external forces act on the system.
Formula for momentum; 𝑃 = 𝑚𝑣; 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑃 = 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚, 𝑚 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣 = 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
From Newton 2nd law;
𝑣−𝑢 𝑣−𝑢
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 = ⇒ 𝐹 = 𝑚( ) ∴ 𝐹𝑡 = 𝑚(𝑣 − 𝑢)
𝑡 𝑡
Since no force is acting on the system, then 𝐹 = 0𝑁
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐹𝑡 = 𝑚(𝑣 − 𝑢); ⇒ 0(𝑡) = 𝑚𝑣 − 𝑚𝑢 ∴ 0 = 𝑚𝑣 − 𝑚𝑢 ⇒ 𝒎𝒖 = 𝒎𝒗
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑢 = 𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑣 = 𝑃𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙
Hence for conservation of momentum; ∑ 𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 = ∑ 𝑃𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙
This means that the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the
collision.
4. Impulse (J)
Impulse is the change in momentum of an object when a force is applied over a period of
time. It is measured in Ns or Kgm/s.
Formula; 𝐽 = 𝐹𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝐽 = ∆𝑃 = 𝑚(𝑣 − 𝑢)
Where 𝐹 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑑, 𝐽 = 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡 = 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
PRACTICE QUESTIONS ON COLLISIONS
1. Two objects, A (mass = 2 kg, initial velocity = 3 m/s) and B (mass = 4 kg, initial velocity = -2
m/s), collide elastically. Find their velocities after the collision.
2. An object of mass 5 kg moving with a velocity of 6 m/s collides with another object of mass 3 kg
moving at 2 m/s. After the collision, they move together. Find their final velocity.
3. A car of mass 1000 kg moving at 20 m/s collides with a stationary truck of mass 2000 kg. If they
stick together after the collision, calculate their final velocity.
4. A 10 kg object moving at 5 m/s collides with a 5 kg object initially at rest. If the collision is
perfectly inelastic, calculate their combined velocity after the collision.
5. A baseball of mass 0.145 kg is pitched at a speed of 40 m/s and is hit with a bat, changing its
velocity to 60 m/s in 0.05 seconds. Calculate the impulse delivered to the baseball.
6. During repair of the Hubble space Telescope, an astronaut replaces a solar panel whose frame is
bent. Pushing the detached panel away into space, she is propelled in the opposite direction. The
astronaut’s mass is 60kg and the panel’s mass is 80kg. The astronaut is at rest relative to her
spaceship when she shoves away the panel, and she shoves it at 0.3m/s relative to the spaceship.
What is her subsequent velocity relative to the spaceship? (During this operation the astronaut is
tethered to the ship; for our calculation, assume that the tether remains slack)
7. A football of mass 400g reaches the kicker at the speed 12m/s and is kicked so that its velocity is
15m/s, in exactly the opposite direction. If the kick takes 0.20s, calculate (i) the impulse of the kick
(ii) the average force exerted by the kicker.
8. A cannon of mass 300kg fires a cannon ball of mass 15kg at a velocity of 100m/s. Calculate the
recoil velocity of the cannon.
9. A truck of mass 1100kg reverses at 6m/s into a trailer of mass 400kg. The truck and the trailer
remain connected and move together with the same common speed. Calculate (i) the common
speed (ii) the loss in kinetic energy as a result of the collision
10. A ball of mass 40g travelling east at 50m/s has a perfectly elastic collision with a 60g ball
travelling west at 30m/s. Find the velocities of the two balls after the collision
11. A ball of mass 0.5kg moving at 6.0m/s hits a second ball of mass 2.0kg moving in the opposite
direction. The 0.5kg mass bounces back with velocity 10m/s while the 2kg ball is stopped. (i)
Calculate the velocity of the 2kg ball before the collision (ii) Verify whether this collision is elastic,
inelastic or perfectly inelastic.
12. The mass of a gas emitted from the rear of a toy rocket is initially 0.1kg/s. If the speed of the gas
relative to the rocket is 50m/s, and the mass of the rocket is 2kg. What is the initial acceleration of
the rocket?
13. A bullet of mass 20g is fired horizontally into a suspended stationary wooden block of mass
380g with a velocity of 200m/s. What is the common velocity of the bullet and the block if the bullet
is embedded in (stays inside) the block?
14. A hose pipe of cross sectional area 4𝑐𝑚2 delivers water horizontally with a speed of 25m/s. (a)
What is the impulse of the water on a vertical wall (assuming no rebound)? (b) What average force
acts on the wall?
15. Three balls A, B and C of masses 2kg, 3kg and 4kg respectively lie in that order in a straight line
on a smooth horizontal surface. A is projected towards B with a speed of 3m/s and is reduced to
rest by the impact. Subsequently, B is reduced to rest by its impact with C. Find (a) the speed of B
after being hit by A (b) the speed of C after being hit by B.
16. Two billiard balls of equal mass (0.8kg) are moving in opposite directions (in the same line)
with speeds of 12m/s and 5m/s. They collide and the slower ball is now seen moving at 8m/s in the
opposite direction. Find the new speed of the other ball and the impulse between them.
17. A 0.2 kg ball is moving with a velocity of 12 m/s and strikes a wall. After bouncing off the wall,
the ball’s velocity becomes −10 m/s.
(a) What is the impulse experienced by the ball? (b) What is the change in momentum?
18. Two objects, A (mass = 4 kg) and B (mass = 6 kg), are moving towards each other with
velocities of 5m/s and −3m/s respectively. After the collision, the objects stick together.
(a) What is the velocity of the combined mass immediately after the collision?
(b) Is momentum conserved in this situation? Why?
19. A stationary object breaks into two pieces, A and B, after an explosion. Piece A has a mass of 3
kg and moves with a velocity of 15m/s. Piece B has a mass of 2 kg.
(a) What is the velocity of piece BBB immediately after the explosion?
(b) Is momentum conserved? Why?
20. Two ice skaters, A and B, are initially at rest on frictionless ice. Skater A (mass = 50 kg) pushes
against skater B (mass = 70 kg) with a force of 300 N for 3 seconds.
(a) What is the velocity of skater A after the push? (b) What is the velocity of skater B after the
push?
21. A baseball of mass 0.15kg is pitched at 40m/s and is hit back in the opposite direction at 60m/s.
The ball is in contact with the bat for 0.01s.
(a) What is the impulse experienced by the baseball? (b) What average force was exerted on the
baseball?
