MOMENTUM

Momentum is a commonly used term in sports.

Momentum is a physics term; it refers to the quantity

of motion that an object has.

LINEAR MOMENTUM

COURSE OUTLINE
A. Introduction
B. Kinematics
C. Dynamics
D. Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
E. Energy
F. Linear Momentum
G. Fluid Mechanics
H. Thermodynamics

Outline

Linear Momentum

1. Linear Momentum
2. Momentum and Newton's Second Law
3. Impulse of a Force
4. Impulse Momentum Relations
5. Conservation of Momentum

Collisions

6. Overview ~ Collisions
7. Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

LINEAR MOMENTUM

p mv

Vector quantity, the direction of the momentum is the

same as the velocitys
Inertia in motion
Applies to two-dimensional motion as well

p x mvx and p y mv y
Size of momentum: depends upon mass
depends upon velocity

LINEAR MOMENTUM
Physical

Properties
Symbol: p
Type: Derived, Vector
Dimension: [M*L/T]
SI unit: kg m/s
p=mv

LINEAR MOMENTUM
Can be thought of as the effort you need to
stop an object from moving.
Determined by two factors:
1. The objects inertia (mass)
2. The objects velocity

For example, a heavy truck has more

momentum than a light car travelling at the
same speed.
It takes a greater force to stop the truck in a
given time than it does to stop the car

MOMENTUM and NEWTONS 2nd LAW OF

MOTION

Newton's Second Law can be written in terms of the

momentum of a particle.

but p = mv, so much p = mv

Thus the net force acting on a particle equals the time rate
change of the particle's linear momentum

MOMENTUM and NEWTONS 2nd LAW OF

MOTION

This is how Newton originally stated his

second law!
mutatio motus change of motion
caused by the force impressed

Impulse
In order to change the momentum of an object (say, golf
ball), a force must be applied
The time rate of change of momentum of an object is
equal to the net force acting on it

F net

p m(v f v i )

m a or : p F net t
t
t

Gives an alternative statement of Newtons second law

(F t) is defined as the impulse
Impulse is a vector quantity, the direction is the same as the
direction of the force

Impulse
Physical Properties:
Symbol: I
Type: Derived, Vector Quantity
Formula:
I = F t = F (tf ti)
Dimension [F*T]; SI Units: N*s (Newton*second)

1 N*s = 1 kg m/s2 *s= 1 kg m/s

p F net t

Graphical Interpretation of
Impulse

Usually force is not constant,

but time-dependent

impulse Fi ti area under F (t ) curve

ti

If the force is not constant,

use the average force applied
The average force can be
thought of as the constant
force that would give the
same impulse to the object
in the time interval as the
actual time-varying force
gives in the interval

If force is constant: impulse = F t

IMPULSE-MOMENTUM RELATIONS
I net = F t

I net = p = pf pi

The average force for the time interval tf ti is defined

as
Fav = I / t

The average force is the constant force that gives the

same impulse as the actual force in the time interval
t.

This time is often estimated using the distance

travelled by one of the objects during the collision.

Minimizing the force of impact

Impulse is associated with the forces of interaction during collisions.

Example: Impulse Applied to Auto

Collisions

The most important factor is the collision time or the

time it takes the person to come to a rest

This will reduce the chance of dying in a car crash

Ways to increase the time

Seat belts
Air bags

The air bag increases the time of the collision and

absorbs some of the energy from the body

Problem:
A 50-g golf ball at rest is hit
by Big Bertha club with
500-g mass. After the
collision, golf leaves with
velocity of 50 m/s.

a) Find impulse imparted to ball

b) Assuming club in contact
with ball for 0.5 ms, find
average force acting on golf
ball

Problem:
1. Use impulse-momentum relation:
Given:

impulse p mv f mvi

0.050 kg 50 m s 0
2.50 kg m s

mass: m=50 g
= 0.050 kg
velocity: v=50 m/s

Find:
impulse=?
Faverage=?

2. Having found impulse, find the average

force from the definition of impulse:

p 2.50 kg m s

t
0.5 10 3 s
5.00 103 N

p F t , thus F

Note: according to Newtons 3rd law, that is also a reaction force to club hitting the ball:

F t F R t , or

of club

mv f mv i M V f M V i , or
mv f M V f mv i M V i

CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM

Linear Momentum

The total momentum P of a system of

particles is the sum of the momenta of the
individual particles.
P = mivi = pi

According to Newton's Second Law,

Fext = Fnet,ext = P/t = mv/t = ma

Conservation of Momentum

Pinitial = Pfinal
More applicable than the law of conservation of mechanical
energy.

REASON: Although internal forces exerted by one

particle in a system on another are often NOT
CONSERVATIVE. Internal forces can change the total
mechanical energy of the system but they DON'T
affect the total momentum.

Conservation of Momentum

Definition: an isolated system is the one that has no

external forces acting on it

Momentum in an isolated system in which a

collision occurs is conserved (regardless of the
nature of the forces between the objects)

A collision may be the result of physical contact between two

objects
Contact may also arise from the electrostatic interactions of
the electrons in the surface atoms of the bodies

Conservation of Momentum

Mathematically:

m1 v1i m2 v 2i m1 v1 f m2 v 2 f

Momentum is conserved for the system of objects

The system includes all the objects interacting with each other
Assumes only internal forces are acting during the collision
Can be generalized to any number of objects

Types of Collisions

Momentum is conserved in any collision

what about kinetic energy?

Inelastic collisions

Kinetic energy is not conserved

KEi KE f lost energy

Some of the kinetic energy is converted into other types of

energy such as heat, sound, work to permanently deform an
object

Perfectly inelastic collisions occur when the objects stick

together

Not all of the KE is necessarily lost

You can use a golf club for all kinds of non-golfy purposes -- walking stick,
fishing rod, club, to name three. And now we can add to that list -firestarter.
Over the weekend, a golfer's routine swing in the rough at the Shady Canyon
Golf Course in Irvine, Calif., struck a rock. Not so different from the way
you play, right? Only this time, the impact caused a spark, and the spark set
off a blaze that eventually covered 25 acres (101171.41056 Square Meters),
according to the Steven Buck, General Manager of Shady Canyon Golf
Course, and required the efforts of 150 Orange County firefighters, writes
the Associated Press.

Wow. And I felt bad the time I shanked a ball through the window of a house
too close to the fairway. That was nothing compared to this!
The golfer's name is being withheld, which is probably for the best, and no
charges are going to be filed. Fortunately, it all could have been much worse.
As it was, the blaze required both helicopters and on-the-ground crews.

In a collision, two objects approach and interact strongly

for a very short time.
During this brief time of collision,
F ext << F interaction between two objects
The only important force is the one between the objects
colliding, which are equal and opposite,
So the total momentum of the system remains
unchanged. (Recall 3rd Law!!! Time is important!!)
The collision time is usually so small that the displacement
of the objects during the collision can be neglected.

ELASTIC COLLISION
and
INELASTIC COLLISION

When the total kinetic energy of the objects is

the same after collision as before the collision is
called an elastic collision

When the total kinetic energy of the objects is

not the same, it is termed an inelastic collision.

NOTE: Actual collisions

Most collisions fall between elastic and perfectly inelastic

collisions

Perfectly Inelastic Collisions:

When two objects stick

together after the collision, they
have undergone a perfectly
inelastic collision

Suppose, for example, v2i=0.

Conservation of momentum
becomes

m1v1i m2 v2 i ( m1 m2 )v f
m1v1i 0 ( m1 m2 )v f
E.g., if m1 1000 kg, m2 1500 kg :
(1000kg)(50 m s ) 0 (2500kg)v f ,
5 10 4 kg m s
vf
20 m s.
3
2.5 10 kg

Perfectly Inelastic Collisions:

What amount of KE lost during

collision?
1
1
m1v12i m2 v22i
2
2
1
(1000 kg)(50 m s ) 2 1.25 10 6 J
2

KEbefore

1
(m1 m2 )v 2f
2
1
(2500 kg)( 20 m s ) 2 0.50 10 6 J
2

KEafter

KElost 0.75 10 6 J
lost in heat/gluing/sound/

Elastic Collisions

Both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved

Typically have two unknowns

m1v1i m2 v2i m1v1 f m2 v2 f

1
1
1
1
2
2
2
m1v1i m2 v2i m1v1 f m2 v22 f
2
2
2
2

Solve the equations simultaneously

Problem Solving Tips:

If the collision is inelastic, KE is not conserved

If the collision is elastic, KE is conserved

Problem Solving for One -Dimensional

Collisions

Set up a coordinate axis and define the velocities with

respect to this axis

It is convenient to make your axis coincide with one of the

initial velocities

In your sketch, draw all the velocity vectors with labels

including all the given information

Sketches for Collision Problems

Draw before and

after sketches
Label each object

include the direction of

velocity
keep track of subscripts

Sketches for Perfectly Inelastic Collisions

The objects stick

together
Include all the velocity
directions
The after collision
combines the masses

Problem Solving for One-Dimensional

Collisions, cont.

Write the expressions for the momentum of each

object before and after the collision

Remember to include the appropriate signs

Write an expression for the total momentum before

and after the collision

Remember the momentum of the system is what is

conserved

Problem Solving for One-Dimensional

Collisions, final

If the collision is inelastic, solve the momentum equation

for the unknown

Remember, KE is not conserved

If the collision is elastic, you can use the KE equation to

solve for two unknowns

Two-dimensional Collisions

For a general collision of two objects in threedimensional space, the conservation of momentum
principle

m1 v1i m2 v 2i m1 v1 f m2 v 2 f

implies that the total momentum of the system in

each direction is conserved
m1v1ix m2 v2ix m1v1 fx m2 v2 fx and
m1v1iy m2 v2iy m1v1 fy m2 v2 fy

Use subscripts for identifying the object, initial and final,

and components

Example:
What would happen after
the collision?

Stationary

It is also possible for two bodies to undergo scattering

Example:
Assume: m1=m2 and v1i=5 m/s

What would happen

after the collision?

Stationary

It is also possible for two bodies to undergo scattering

For this problem: assume that q = f = 60

Example:
Given:

masses: m1=m2
velocity: v1i=5 m/s
v2i=0 m/s
angles: q = f = 60
Find:
v1f = ?
v2f = ?

Use momentum conservation in each

direction (x and y):

yf

m1v1 f sin 60 m2 v2 f sin 60 p yi 0

v1 f sin 60 v2 f sin 60 , as m1 m2
v1 f v2 f

xf

m1v1 f cos 60 m2 v2 f cos 60 p xi m1 5 m s

v1 f 0.5 v2 f 0.5 5 m s
v1 f v2 f 5 m s

Example:
Two cars collide at a intersection. Car 1 has a
mass of 1200 kg and is moving at a velocity of
95.0 km/hr due east and car 2 has mass of
1400 kg and is moving at a velocity of
100km/hr due north. The cars stick together
and move off as one at an angle (wrt x-axis).
Find (a) the angle and (b) the final velocity
of the combined cars.

Ballistic Pendulum

In a feat of public marksmanship, Juzzel fires a bullet into a hanging

target. The target, with bullet embedded, swings upward.
Noting the height reached at the top of the swing, he immediately
inform the crowd of the bullet's speed. For arbitrary masses: m1
(bullet), m2 (hanging target), and h (height, top of the swing), how
did he calculate the bullet's speed? (See Figure above)