MOMENTUM

• What is momentum?
momentum = mass x velocity
In symbol, p = mv
Momentum is a vector quantity.
• How can we calculate the SI unit of momentum?
p = mv
p = kgm/s
• 1.6 Momentum
• Momentum is defined as the mass of the body multiplied by its
velocity .
• and is measured in kilogram metre per second (kgm/s) or
newton second (Ns).
• momentum = mass × velocity
• In symbols, momentum p = mv

• The change in momentum ,Δp = Δ(mv)

• Momentum is a useful quantity to consider when bodies are
involved in collisions and explosions.
How can we calculate the momentum of an object?
V=2m/s
m=100kg

Does a stationary body possess momentum?

No
Exercises
1 a Calculate the momentum of a 2kg trolley moving with a velocity of
i 0.2m/s
ii 0.8m/s
iii 5cm/s.
b Calculate the momentum of a trolley moving at 3m/s and having a
mass of
i 200g
ii 500g
iii 1kg.
 Conservation of Momentum
The principle of conservation of momentum states that if two objects
collide, then the total momentum before and after the collision will be the
same if there is no external force acting on the colliding objects.
• total momentum before collision = total momentum after collision
• Which momentum do the balls possess?
• Worked example
Suppose a truck of mass 60 kg moving with velocity 3 m/s collides and couples
with a stationary truck of mass 30 kg (Figure a). The two move off together
with the same velocity v which we can find as follows (Figure b).
Total momentum before collision is
(60kg × 3m/s) + (30kg × 0m/s) = 180 kgm/s
Total momentum after collision is
(60kg + 30 kg) × v = 90 kg × v
Since momentum is not lost(momentum conserved)
90 kg × v = 180 kgm/s
v = 2m/s
Practice
1 A trolley of mass 3kg moving with velocity 5m/s collides and couples with a
stationary trolley of mass 2kg and the two move off together with the same
velocity v. Assuming momentum is not lost in the collision, calculate the value
of v.

Total momentum before collision = (3 kg × 5 m/s) + (2 kg × 0 m/s)

= 15 kg m/s
Total momentum after collision = (3 kg + 2 kg) × v = 5 kg × v
If momentum is conserved:

5 kg × v = 15 kg m/s
v = 3 m/s
2 A trolley of mass 5kg moving with velocity 5m/s collides with a stationary
trolley of mass 2kg.The 5kg trolley stops and the 2kg trolley moves off with
velocity v. Assuming momentum is not lost in the collision, calculate the value
of v.
5m/s
At rest v=?

5kg 2kg 5kg 2kg

Total momentum before collision = (5 × 5) + (2 × 0) = 25 kg m/s

Total momentum after collision = (5 × 0) + 2 × v = 2 × v
If momentum is conserved:
2 × v = 25
v = 12.5 m/s
• Explosion
Eg. - when a rifle is fired
- when a bomb explosion
• Is momentum conserved in explosion?
Yes.

Before firing, total momentum = 0

After firing , total momentum =(- p bullet+ prifle )= 0( the rifle and bullet receive equal
but opposite amounts of momentum)
Explosions
-Momentum, like velocity, is a vector since it has both magnitude and direction.
If vectors act in exactly opposite directions, such as east and west, the smaller
subtracts from the greater, or if they are the same, they cancel out.

-Momentum is conserved in an explosion such as occurs when a rifle is fired.

Before firing, the total momentum is zero since both rifle and bullet
are at rest.

-During the firing the rifle and bullet receive equal but opposite amounts of
momentum so that the total momentum after firing is zero.
• Test yourself
1 What is the momentum in kgm/s of a 10kg truck travelling at
a 5m/s
b 20cm/s
c 36km/h?
1 Momentum p = mv
a p = 10 kg × 5 m/s = 50 kg m/s
b p = 10 kg × 20 × 10–2 m/s = 2 kg m/s
c p = 10 kg × 36 × 103 m/s / (60 × 60) = 100 kg m/s
• 2 A ball X of mass 1kg travelling at 2m/s has a head-on collision with
an identical ball Y at rest . X stops and Y moves off. What is Y’s
velocity?
2 Momentum p = mv
Total momentum before collision = (1 kg × 2 m/s) + (1 kg × 0 m/s)
= 2 kg m/s
Total momentum after collision = (1 kg × 0 m/s) + (1 kg × v)
= 1 kg × v
If momentum is conserved:
(1 kg × v) = 2 kg m/s,
v = 2 m/s
• 3 A boy with mass 50kg running at 5m/s jumps on to a 20kg trolley travelling in
the same direction at 1.5m/s. What is their common velocity?
Total momentum before boy jumps on trolley = (50 kg × 5 m/s) + (20kg × 1.5
m/s)
= (250 + 30) kg m/s = 280 kg m/s
Total momentum after collision = (50 + 20) kg × v
= 70 kg × v
If momentum is conserved:
70 kg × v = 280 kg m/s
v = 280/70 = 4 m/s
• 4 A girl of mass 50kg jumps out of a rowing boat of mass 300kg on to the
bank, with a horizontal velocity of 3m/s. With what velocity does the boat
begin to move backwards?
4 Forward momentum of girl = mv = 50 kg × 3 m/s = 150 kg m/s
Backward momentum of boat = mv = 300 kg × v m/s
If momentum is conserved: 300 kg × v = 150 kg m/s,
v = 150/300
= 0.5 m/s
• In which condition does the object momentum change?
Using forces to speed up or slow down an object ,thus the object’s momentum
changes.

u Δt v
From Newton’ s second law, F = ma ----(1)
𝑣−𝑢
a=
∆𝑡
𝑣−𝑢 𝑚𝑣−𝑚𝑢 ∆𝑝
resultant force , F=m = =
∆𝑡 ∆𝑡 ∆𝑡
impulse , F ∆𝑡 = ∆𝑝
Impulse - force × time for which force acts
Resultant force - the rate of change in momentum per
unit time
Test yourself
5. A force of 5N is applied to a cricket ball for 0.02s. Calculate
a. the impulse on the ball
b. the change in momentum of the ball.
Ans: a Impulse = F Δt = 5 N × 0.02 s = 0.1 N s
b Δp = F Δt = 0.1 N s
6. In a collision, a car of mass 1000kg travelling at 24m/s comes to rest in 1.2s.
Calculate a. the change in momentum of the car ,b. the steady stopping force
applied to the car.
• Ans: a Δp = m Δv =1000 kg × 24 m/s = 2.4 × 104 kg m/s
• b F = Δp/Δt = 2.4 × 104 kg m/s / 1.2 s = 2.0 ×104 N
• Questions
1.If the momentum of a body remain the same, the force will be:
A. Positive
B. Negative
C. Zero
D. Infinity
2. In order to change the momentum of an object ,there must be:
A. Force must be applied
B. Change in time
C. Change in distance
D. All of above
3.Momentum is the property of a body due to which one can be
obtained the quantity of:
A. Acceleration in a body
B. Motion in a body
C. Force in a body
D. Mass in a body
Exam-style questions
1 A truck A of mass 500 kg moving at 4m/s collides with another truck B of mass
1500kg moving in the same direction at 2m/s.
a Write down an expression for momentum.
b Calculate the momentum of truck A before the collision.
c Calculate the momentum of truck B before the collision.
d Determine the common velocity of the trucks after the collision.
1 a Momentum p = mv
b Momentum of truck A before the collision = (500 kg × 4 m/s) = 2000 kg m/s
c Momentum of truck B before the collision = (1500 kg × 2 m/s) = 3000 kg m/s
d Total momentum after collision is (500 + 1500) kg × v = 2000 kg × v
If momentum is conserved: 2000 kg × v = (2000 + 3000) kg m/s
= 5000 kg m/s
= 5000 kg m/s / 2000 kg
= 2.5 m/s
2. The velocity of an object of mass 10 kg increases from 4m/s to 8m/s when a
force acts on it for 2 s. Write down the a initial momentum of the object
b final momentum of the object
c momentum gained in 2 s
d value of the force
e impulse of the force.
Ans;
a Initial momentum (10 kg × 4 m/s) = 40 kg m/s
b Final momentum (10 kg × 8 m/s) = 80 kg m/s
c Total momentum gained in 2 s = (80 – 40) kg m/s = 40 kg m/s
d F = rate of change of momentum = 40 kg m/s / 2s = 20 kg m/s2
e Impulse = FΔt = 20 N × 2 s = 40 N s
3 A rocket of mass 10000kg uses 5.0 kg of fuel and oxygen to produce exhaust
gases ejected at 5000m/s.
a Define momentum.
b Calculate the backward momentum of the ejected gas.
c Explain what is meant by the principle of conservation of momentum.
d Calculate the increase in velocity of the rocket.
3 a Momentum = mass × velocity
b Backward momentum of ejected gas = 5 kg × 5000 m/s = 25 000 kg m/s
c Momentum is conserved in a collision if no external forces act
d If momentum is conserved ,
Backward momentum =forward momentum
25 000 kg m/s = (10 000 – 5) kg × v
v = 25 000 kg m/s / 9995 kg
= 2.5 m/s
4 A boy hits a stationary billiard ball of mass 30g head on with a cue. The cue is in
contact with the ball for a time of 0.001 s and exerts a force of 50N on it.
a Calculate the acceleration of the ball during the time it is in contact with the cue.
b Work out the impulse on the ball in the direction of the force.
c Calculate the velocity of the ball just after it is struck.
d Give two ways by which the velocity of the ball could be increased.
Ans:a. F = ma ,
a = F/m = 50 N / 0.03 kg
= 1670 m/s2
b. Impulse = F Δt = 50 N × 0.001 s = 0.05 N s
c. F Δt = Δ (mv) = 0.03 kg × v = 0.05 N s,
v = 0.05 N s / 0.03 kg
=1.7 m/s
d -Apply force for a longer time
-increase the size of the force