Momentum, Impulse & Collisions

Linear Momentum Conservation of Linear Momentum Impulse Collisions : Elastic & Inelastic Collisions Collisions in 2-Dimensions

Linear Momentum

Conservation of Linear Momentum

The principle of conservation of momentum states that when no external forces act on a system consisting of two objects that collide with each other, the total momentum of the system before the collision is equal to the total momentum of the system after the collision.

Law of Conservation of Linear Momentum

The general statement of the law of conservation of linear momentum states that

The total momentum of an isolated system of bodies remains constant

and is given by

pinitial = pfinal

Newtons Second Law of Motion

EXAMPLE

A 10,000 kg railroad car traveling at a speed of 24

m s-1 strikes an identical car at rest. If the cars lock

together as a result of the collision, what is their common speed afterward ?

SOLUTION

Impulse

Impulse

EXAMPLE

A 0.375 kg rubber ball traveling horizontally to the right at 10 m s-1 hits a wall and bounces back at 6 m s-1 to the left. What is the total impulse exerted by the wall?

SOLUTION

Impulse,

I = = = = =

p = F t mv - mu m (v u ) (0.375 kg)(-6 -10 m s-1) (0.375 kg)(-16 m s-1) I = -6.0 N s

EXAMPLE
A baseball, of mass 0.2 kg, is pitched at 40 m s-1 and is hit straight back at the pitcher at 90 m s-1. Assume the positive xaxis points toward the pitcher (a) Find the impulse exerted by the bat on the ball (b) If the ball is in contact with the bat for 3.5 ms, find the average force exerted on the ball (c) How would the result of part (b) change if the contact time were one-third as long

SOLUTION

Collisions
Inelastic Collisions Elastic Collisions Stationary Target Moving Target Collisions in 2-Dimensions (Glancing Collisions)

Inelastic Collisions
Collisions in which kinetic energy is not conserved. Initial kinetic energy is transformed into other types of energy (thermal, potential etc.) Total final kinetic energy is less than the total initial kinetic energy. If two objects stick together as a result of the collision, the collisions is inelastic. Even though the kinetic energy is not conserved, the total energy is conserved.

1-Dimensional Inelastic Collisions

Before Collision

m1

m2 at rest

+x
m1 + m2 V After Collision

1-Dimensional Inelastic Collisions

EXAMPLE
A ballistic pendulum is a device that was used to measure the speeds of bullets before electronic timing devices were developed. The device consists of a large block of wood of mass M = 5.4 kg, hanging from two long cords. A bullet of mass m = 9.5 g is fired into the block, coming quickly to rest. The block + bullet swing upward, their center of mass rising a vertical distance h = 6.3 cm before the pendulum comes momentarily to rest. (a) What was the speed v of the bullet just prior to the collisions. (b) What is the initial kinetic energy? How much energy remains as mechanical energy?

Elastic Collisions

Elastic Collisions
then [1] & [2] becomes m1 (v1i v1f ) = m2v2f m1 (v1i v1f )(v1i + v1f ) = m2v2f 2 [4] [3]

[3] [4]

m1 m2 v1 f v1 i m1 m2
2m1 v2 f v1 i m1 m2

Before Collision

m1

v1i

v2i = 0
m2 at rest

After Collision

m1

v1f

m2

v2f

Elastic Collisions
Moving Target
Conservation of linear momentum states that m1v1i + m2v2i = m1v1f + m2v2f [1] Conservation of kinetic energy states that m1v1i 2 + m2v2i 2 = m1v1f 2 + m2v2f 2 Combining the equations [1] & [2] will give us
m1 m2 2m2 v1 f v1 i v2 i m1 m2 m1 m2

[2]

and

2m1 m2 m1 v2 f v1 i v2 i m1 m2 m1 m2

Collisions in 2-Dimensions
The vector nature of momentum especially in 2dimensions is very important. Common type of non head-on collision is that a moving object strikes a second object initially at rest Law of conservation of momentum states that x: p1 x + p2 x = p1 x + p2 x m1v1 = m1v1 cos 1 + m2v2 cos 2 y : p1y + p2 y = p1 y + p2 y 0 = m1v1 sin 1 + m2v2 sin 2

[1]
[2]

Collisions in 2-Dimensions

If the collisions is elastic, then the law of conservation of energy states that m1v12 = m1v1 2 + m2v2 2 [3]

From equations [1], [2] & [3], we can solve for v1 , v2 , 1 and 2 if m1 , m2 , v1 and v2 is given.

Example

A billiard ball moving with speed v1 = 3.0 m s-1in the +x direction strikes an equal mass ball initially at rest. The two balls are observed to move off at 45, ball 1 above the x-axis and ball 2 below the x-axis. That is 1 = 45 and 2 = -45.

What are the speeds of the two ball?

Solution
Assume that the two balls have the same speed (from symmetry). Conservation of momentum gives x: mv1 = mv1 cos (45) + mv2 cos (-45) v1 = v1 cos (45) + v2 cos (45) = 2v1 cos (45) y: 0 = mv1 sin (45) + mv2 sin (-45) then v2 = -v1 [sin (45)/sin (-45)] = v1 so v1 = v2 = v1 / 2 cos (45) = (3.0 m s-1)/ [2(0.7071)] = 2.1 m s-1