Nombre: __________________________________

MOMENTUM & COLLISIONS

1.

2.

3.

4.

A rocket is fired vertically. At its highest point, it explodes. Which one of the following describes what
happens to its total momentum and total kinetic energy as a result of the explosion?
Total momentum

Total kinetic energy

A.

unchanged

increased

B.

unchanged

unchanged

C.

increased

increased

D.

increased

unchanged

Which of the following quantities are conserved in an inelastic collision between two bodies?
Total linear momentum of the bodies

Total kinetic energy of the bodies

A.

Yes

yes

B.

yes

no

C.

no

yes

D.

no

no

Joe is standing on the surface of a frozen pond and he throws a ball horizontally. Considering Joe
and the ball together, which one of the following correctly describes the change in the magnitude of
the momentum and the change in the kinetic energy of Joe and the ball immediately after the ball is
thrown?
Magnitude of momentum of Joe and ball

Kinetic energy of Joe and ball

A.

No change

Increases

B.

Increases

Increases

C.

No change

No change

D.

Increases

No change

The momentum of a system is conserved if

A.

no external forces act on the system.

B.

no friction forces act within the system.

C.

no kinetic energy is lost or gained by the system.

D.

the forces acting on the system are in equilibrium.

5.

A ball is held at rest at point X and is then released. It drops on to a flat horizontal surface and
rebounds to a maximum height at point Y.

point X

point Y

before

after

Which one of the following graphs best shows the variation with time t of the momentum p of the ball
as it moves between point X and point Y?

A.

B.
p

C.

0 0

D.
p

6.

A small ball P moves with speed v towards another identical ball Q along a line joining the centres of
the two balls. Ball Q is at rest. Kinetic energy is conserved in the collision.

v
P

Q at rest

Which one of the following situations is a possible outcome of the collision between the balls?

A. v
P

C.

v=0
P

3v

P
7.

B.

D.

Two spheres of masses m1 and m2 are moving towards each other along the same straight-line with
speeds v1 and v2 as shown.

positive direction
m1

v1

v2

m2

The spheres collide. Which of the following gives the total change in linear momentum of the spheres
as a result of the collision?

8.

A.

B.

m1v1 + m2 v2

C.

m1v1 - m2 v2

D.

m2v2 - m1 v1

An object of mass m is initially at rest. An impulse I acts on the object. The change in kinetic energy
of the object is

A.

I2
.
2m

B.

I2
.
m

C.

I2m.

D.

2I2m.
3

9.

The engine of a rocket ejects gas at high speed, as shown below.

rocket

direction of

high speed
gas

motion of rocket

The rocket accelerates forwards because

10.

A.

the momentum of the gas is equal but opposite in direction to the momentum of the rocket.

B.

the gas pushes on the air at the back of the rocket.

C.

the change in momentum of the gas gives rise to a force on the rocket.

D.

the ejected gas creates a region of high pressure behind the rocket.

A stationary metal plate is hanging freely on a string. A steel ball, travelling horizontally, hits the
plate. The speed of the ball after the collision is less than before, but still in a horizontal direction, as
shown below.

string

before collision

metal plate

after collision
Which one of the following gives a correct statement, with a valid reason, about the type of collision
between the ball and the plate?
Type of collision

Reason

A.

Inelastic

The sphere has changed its momentum during the collision.

B.

Inelastic

The sphere has lost kinetic energy during the collision.

C.

Unknown

The change in momentum of the plate during the collision is unknown.

D.

unknown

The kinetic energy of the plate after the collision is unknown.

11.

A fan and a sail are mounted vertically on a cart that is initially at rest on a horizontal table as shown
in the diagram below.

fan

air
sail

When the fan is turned on an air stream is blown towards the right and is incident on the sail. The
cart is free to move with negligible resistance forces.
After the fan has been turned on the cart will

12.

13.

14.

A.

move to the left and then to the right.

B.

remain at rest.

C.

move towards the right.

D.

move towards the left.

Two objects collide inelastically. For this system of two objects

A.

only momentum is conserved.

B.

only kinetic energy is conserved.

C.

both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.

D.

neither momentum nor kinetic energy are conserved.

A net force of magnitude F acts on a body for a time t producing an impulse of magnitude Y. Which
of the following is the magnitude of the rate of change of momentum of the body?
A.

B.

F t

C.

D.

Y t

The diagram below shows a trolley of mass 4.0 kg moving on a frictionless horizontal table with a
speed of 2.0 m s1. It collides with a stationary trolley also of mass 4.0 kg.
1

2.0ms

4.0kg

4.0kg

Which of the following diagrams shows a possible outcome?

A.

0.0ms1

2.0ms1

4.0kg

C.

4.0kg

4.0kg

0.0ms1

2.0ms1

4.0kg

15.

2.0ms1

B.

D.

4.0kg

0.0ms1

4.0kg

4.0kg

4.0kg

A ball of mass M hits a wall at speed V normal to the wall. It rebounds with speed v normal to the
wall as shown below.

wall

v
left

right

What is the magnitude of the change in momentum of the ball and the direction of the force that the
wall exerts on the ball?
change in momentum

direction of force

A.

M(V v)

to the right

B.

M(V v)

to the left

C.

M(V + v)

to the right

D.

M(V + v)

to the left

16.

A rocket is fired vertically into the air. When the rocket reaches its maximum height, the rocket
explodes.
What change, if any, occurs in the momentum and in the kinetic energy of the rocket during the
explosion?

17.

Momentum

kinetic energy

A.

Increases

increases

B.

Increases

constant

C.

Constant

increases

D.

Constant

constant

Two trolleys P and Q, are connected by a rubber band. They are at rest on a horizontal surface. The
mass of Q is twice that of P. The trolleys are pulled apart so that the band is stretched and are then
released.
The ratio

18.

19.

A.

1
.
4

B.

1
.
2

C.

1.

D.

2.

magnitude of initial acceleration of trolley P

is
magnitude of initial acceleration of trolley Q

An impulse I acts on a body of mass m that is initially at rest. What is the distance moved by the body
in a time t after the impulse has been delivered?
A.

It
m

B.

Im
t

C.

I
m

D.

It

Two spheres of masses m1 and m2 are moving towards each other along the same straight-line with
speeds v1 and v2 as shown.

The spheres collide. Which of the following gives the total change in linear momentum of the spheres
as a result of the collision?
A.

20.

B.

m1v1 + m2 v2

C.

m1v1 - m2 v2

D.

m2v2 - m1 v1

Momentum
(a)

State the law of conservation of momentum.

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(b)

An ice hockey puck collides with the wall of an ice rink. The puck is sliding along a line that
makes an angle of 45 to the wall.

wall
45

45

ice rink

direction of puck
before collision

direction of puck
after collision

The collision between the wall and the puck is perfectly elastic.
(i)

State what is meant by an elastic collision.

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(ii)

Discuss how the law of conservation of momentum applies to this situation.

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(c)

The diagram below is a scale diagram that shows the vector representing the momentum of
the puck before collision.
Scale: 1.0 cm = 0.10 N s

By adding appropriate vectors to the diagram, deduce that the magnitude of the change in
momentum of the puck as a result of the collision is 0.71 N s.
(d)

The sketch-graph below shows the variation with time t of the force F exerted by the wall on
the puck.

The total contact time is 12 ms. Estimate, explaining your reasoning, the maximum force
exerted by the wall on the puck.
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22.

This question is about momentum.

(a)

Define
(i)

linear momentum.
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(ii)

impulse.
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(b)

In a ride in a pleasure park, a carriage of mass 450 kg is travelling horizontally at a speed of

18 m s1 . It passes through a shallow tank containing stationary water. The tank is of length
9.3 m. The carriage leaves the tank at a speed of 13 m s1.

18 m s1

water-tank

13 m s1

carriage, mass 450 kg

9.3m
As the carriage passes through the tank, the carriage loses momentum and causes some
water to be pushed forwards with a speed of 19 m s1 in the direction of motion of the
carriage.

(i)

For the carriage passing through the water-tank, deduce that the magnitude of its total
change in momentum is 2250N s.
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(ii)

Use the answer in (b)(i) to deduce that the mass of water moved in the direction of
motion of the carriage is approximately 120 kg.
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(iii)

Calculate the mean value of the magnitude of the acceleration of the carriage in the
water.
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(c)

For the carriage in (b) passing through the water-tank, determine

(i)

its total loss in kinetic energy.

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(ii)

the gain in kinetic energy of the water that is moved in the direction of motion of the
carriage.
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(d)

By reference to the principles of conservation of momentum and of energy, explain your

answers in (c).
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23.

This question is about linear motion.

A car moves along a straight road. At time t = 0 the car starts to move from rest and oil begins to drip
from the engine of the car. One drop of oil is produced every 0.80 s. Oil drops are left on the road.
The position of the oil drops are drawn to scale on the grid below such that 1.0 cm represents 4.0 m.
The grid starts at time t = 0.

direction of motion

1.0cm

(a)

(i) State the feature of the diagram above which indicates that, initially, the car is
accelerating.
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(ii)

On the grid above, draw further dots to show where oil would have dripped if the drops
had been produced from the time when the car had started to move.

(iii)

Determine the distance moved by the car during the first 5.6 s of its motion.
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(b)

Using information from the grid above, determine for the car,
(i)

the final constant speed.

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...........................................................................................................................

(ii)

the initial acceleration.

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25.

Momentum
(a)

State the law of conservation of linear momentum.

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(b)

A toy rocket of mass 0.12 kg contains 0.59 kg of water as shown in the diagram below.

high-pressure air

water
nozzle, radius 1.4mm

The space above the water contains high-pressure air. The nozzle of the rocket has a circular
cross-section of radius 1.4 mm. When the nozzle is opened, water emerges from the nozzle at
a constant speed of 18 m s1 . The density of water is 1000 kg m3.

(i)

Deduce that the volume of water ejected per second through the nozzle is 1.1
m3.

104

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(ii)

Deduce that the upward force that the ejected water exerts on the rocket is
approximately 2.0 N. Explain your working by reference to Newtons laws of motion.
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(iii)

Calculate the time delay between opening the nozzle and the rocket achieving lift-off.
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