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Learning Objectives 2
Warm Up 2
Bibliography 19
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Lesson 8.2
Momentum
Introduction
Scientific jargons rarely coincide with their counterparts in ordinary language in an
accurate sense. Thus, physical terms like impulse, tension, and force, among others, convey
different connotations from how they are used in everyday language. The word
momentum, however, is an exception. In layman’s terms, the expression “to gain
momentum” means to achieve more strength and speed in something, which is very closely
related to the scientific meaning that it carries. Take, for instance, the device shown above
called “Newton’s cradle.” Each ball contains an equal mass as with the rest of the balls; pull
away one ball and release it, and the entire system will “gain momentum.” Let’s dive into
the compelling physics behind it in the lesson that follows.
8.2. Momentum 1
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
●
Solve problems related to a system’s
center of mass.
Warm Up
Galilean Cannon 5 minutes
You have seen a “Newton’s cradle,” in which all the balls in the device are of equal masses.
What happens though when a system consists of unequal masses? A “Galilean cannon,” or
balls stacked on top of each other from the heaviest to the lightest, is a great way to
visualize it. In this activity, you will create a similar but simpler version of this device.
Materials
● water-filled balloon
● tennis ball
Procedure
8.2. Momentum 2
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
1. Prepare the materials. Hold the tennis ball on top of the balloon while both are
raised at a certain distance from the table, as shown in Fig. 8.2.1.
Fig. 8.2.1. A two-ball Galilean cannon set-up
2. Then, let go of both balloon and ball. Ensure that they are in contact and are stable
before you drop them. Observe what happens.
3. Answer the guide questions that follow.
Guide Questions
1. What happened to the tennis ball and the balloon when they were dropped?
2. What do you think is responsible for the motion of the tennis ball after it has been
dropped?
3. If momentum is a quantity that pertains to how difficult it will be to stop a moving
object, which between the ball and the balloon had a greater momentum? What do
you think are the factors that affect momentum?
Momentum and the Second Law of Motion
Newton’s Second Law suggests that the net force exerted upon an object amounts to
the “time rate of change of the product of the object’s velocity and mass.” This product is
also referred to as the object’s linear momentum (or simply, momentum). It is given by:
Equation 8.2.1
where
8.2. Momentum 4
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Remember
Momentum (mv), which is a vector quantity, is proportional to both
mass (m) and speed (v). Its direction is also similar to the velocity’s
direction, as illustrated below:
An object’s momentum (measured in ) may also be expressed through its
components, thus, for the velocity components of an object vx, vy, and vz, its corresponding
momentum components are x-momentum (px), y-momentum (py), and z-momentum (pz).
Integrating these with equation 8.2.1 results in the components px = mvx, py = mvy, and pz =
mvz, respectively. Applying it to the equation for the Second Law of Motion
yield the following expression:
Equation 8.2.2
where
Recall from your previous lessons that internal forces are the ones which objects or
particles exert on each other within a given system. On the contrary, external forces are
those emerging from outside the system’s scope. Fig. 8.2.2 illustrates an example of an
isolated system, where no external forces are involved. Thus, for the action-and-reaction
pair of the two astronauts, the internal forces at play are those exerted by astronaut A on B
Law of Motion, it can be inferred that and are of equal magnitudes and
opposite directions, thus:
8.2. Momentum 6
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Remember
Always be mindful of the following considerations with regard to the
Conservation of Momentum:
8.2. Momentum 7
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Keeping in mind the equations and principles noted above, we can thus conclude that the
Conservation of Momentum signifies that the total momentum of a system is constant
when the summation of all the external forces acting upon that system amounts to
zero.
8.2. Momentum 8
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Momentum and Center of Mass
Recall the system’s center of mass, which you have learned about in the previous lesson, as
the mass-weighted average position of all the parts of a given system. Conservation of
Momentum may also be alternatively expressed using this concept, and the motion of the
center of mass, in turn, can be best understood in terms of the principles of momentum.
Take, for instance, the top view of a wrench in Fig. 8.2.4 as it spins on a horizontal surface
with negligible friction.
Fig. 8.2.4. The motion of the center of mass for an object moving with a constant velocity
The motion of the center of mass, signified by the dotted white lines, can be seen in a
straight line, despite the seemingly erratic movement of the wrench. The total momentum
of a system amounts to the product of the mass and the velocity of the center of mass. This
is given by:
Equation 8.2.3
where
is the total mass of the individual masses in the system;
8.2. Momentum 9
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Let’s Practice!
Example 1
Determine the momentum of a child riding a wagon with a velocity of 1.75 m/s if the
wagon-child system has a mass of 35.5 kg.
Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to solve for the momentum of the system.
Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.
The system’s mass, 35.5 kg, and its velocity, 1.75 m/s are given.
Step 3: Write the working equation.
Step 4: Substitute the given values.
Step 5: Find the answer.
The momentum of the child-wagon system is 62.125 kg m/s.
8.2. Momentum 10
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
1 Try It!
Calculate the momentum of a car with a mass of 1000 kg and a velocity of 30.0 m/s.
Example 2
A 1350-kg vehicle’s parking brake has malfunctioned when it reached a momentum of 6 500
kg m/s. What is the vehicle’s velocity?
Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to calculate the vehicle’s velocity.
Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.
The vehicle’s momentum, 6 500 kg m/s, along with its mass, 1 350 kg are given.
Step 3: Write the working equation.
Step 4: Substitute the given values.
Step 5: Find the answer.
The velocity of the vehicle is 4.81 m/s.
2 Try It!
8.2. Momentum 11
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Example 3
A dart gun produces a 1.56-kg m/s momentum and an 11.41-mph velocity when it thrusts its
darts. Determine the mass of each dart.
Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to identify the mass of the dart.
Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.
The momentum, 1.56 kg m/s, and the dart’s velocity, 11.41 mph are given.
Step 3: Write the working equation.
First, convert 11.41 mph to m/s using the following conversion factors: 1 mile = 1
609.34 m and 1 h = 3 600 s. Thus:
Step 4: Substitute the given values.
Step 5: Find the answer.
8.2. Momentum 12
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
The mass of each dart is 0.31 kg.
3 Try It!
Suppose that the momentum produced in each dart in Example 3 is now 2.33 kg m/s.
What will be its mass if its velocity is 14.60 mph?
Example 4
A small truck with mass 1 450 kg is moving with a velocity of 3.5 m/s when it hits another
truck at rest of mass 1 215 kg. Considering the trucks got locked together, determine the
final speed of the two trucks.
Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to identify the final speed of the two trucks.
Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.
The mass of the first truck, 1 450 kg and its velocity, 3.5 m/s, and the mass of the
second truck, 1 215 kg are given. Its initial velocity is 0 since it is at rest prior to the
collision.
Step 3: Write the working equation.
Apply the conservation of momentum to infer that:
Since , then .
Determine m2 as the combined mass of both trucks since they have been locked
together, thus:
8.2. Momentum 13
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Step 4: Substitute the given values.
Step 5: Find the answer.
The final speed of the two trucks is 1.90 m/s.
4 Try It!
Suppose another small truck with mass 1 025 kg is moving with a velocity of 5.7 m/s
when it collides head-on with another truck at rest of mass 1 300 kg. What will be
their final speed?
Key Points
___________________________________________________________________________________________
● The product of the object’s velocity and mass is also referred to as momentum.
● Momentum (mv), which is a vector quantity, is proportional to both mass (m) and
speed (v). Its direction is also similar to the velocity’s direction.
● An object’s momentum (measured in ) may also be expressed through its
components, thus, for the velocity components of an object vx, vy, and vz, its
corresponding momentum components are x-momentum (px), y-momentum (py),
and z-momentum (pz).
8.2. Momentum 14
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
● The Conservation of Momentum signifies that the total momentum of a system is
constant when the summation of all the external forces acting upon that system
amounts to zero.
● Always be mindful of the following considerations with regard the Conservation of
Momentum:
Key Formulas
___________________________________________________________________________________________
8.2. Momentum 15
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
______________ 4. The ______________ of all the objects’ momenta is termed as
total momentum.
______________ 5. The direction of an object’s momentum is always
______________ to the velocity’s direction.
______________ 7. A system where only internal forces are at play is also
called an ______________.
8.2. Momentum 16
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
______________ 8. In an isolated system, the sum of the internal forces is
______________.
______________ 9. The total momentum of a system is ______________ when
the summation of all the external forces acting upon that
system amounts to zero.
8.2. Momentum 17
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Challenge Yourself
8.2. Momentum 18
Unit 8: Momentum and Collisions
Bibliography
Faughn, Jerry S. and Raymond A. Serway. Serway’s College Physics (7th ed). Singapore:
Brooks/Cole, 2006.
Halliday, David, Robert Resnick and Kenneth Krane. Fundamentals of Physics (5th ed). USA:
Wiley, 2002.
Knight, Randall D. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach (4th ed). USA:
Pearson Education, 2017.
Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern
Physics (9th ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014.
Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s University
Physics with Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.
8.2. Momentum 19