Collisions Worksheet

CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM – ELASTIC AND INELASTIC COLLISIONS
For a collision occurring between object 1 and object 2 in an isolated system, the total momentum of the
two objects before the collision is equal to the total momentum of the two objects after the collision. That
is, the momentum lost by object 1 is equal to the momentum gained by object 2.
The above statement tells us that the total momentum of a collection

of objects (a system) is conserved - that is, the total amount of momentum is
a constant or unchanging value.
Formula:
psystem = m1v1 + m2v2
The total momentum of the system before the collision equals the total momentum of the system after the
collision.
Thus:
An elastic collision is a collision in which there is no net loss in
psystem = p’system
kinetic energy in the system as a result of the collision. Both
momentum and kinetic energy are conserved quantities in elastic
There are three types of collisions: collisions.
1. Elastic An inelastic collision is a collision in which there is a loss of kinetic

2. Completely Inelastic * energy. While momentum of the system is conserved in an inelastic
collision, kinetic energy is not. This is because some kinetic energy
3. Inelastic **
had been transferred to something else. Thermal energy, sound
* We will deal with this situation energy, and material deformation are likely culprits.
** We will NOT deal with this situation

When an object hits another object and bounce off each other, the collision would be elastic.
Formula: m1v1+ m2v2 = m1v1‘ + m2v2‘
Where v is the velocity before the collision and v‘ is the velocities after the collision.
Elastic collisions possibilities
A remains stationary
A and B moves in the same direction

stationary
A and B moves in opposite directions
stationary
B remains stationary
How will you know which situation occurred?

If direction changes, velocity will be negative
Totally inelastic collisions
When an object hits another object and sticks together, the collision would be totally inelastic.
Since the objects stick together, they have the same final velocity.
1
Formula: m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1 + m2)vF
Where v (v1 and v2) is the initial velocity of the objects and vF is the final velocity of the objects stuck
together.
Most real-life collisions are inelastic. Energy is lost to heat and sound during the collision.
Inelastic collisions exercises
Exercise #1
A toy freight train car of mass 50 kg collides with a stationary empty car of mass 15 kg while moving 5 m/s.
At the collision the cars couple together. What is the final velocity of the moving pair? (Answer: vF = 3.85
m/s)
Exercise #2
Batman (91 kg) is standing on a bridge and then jumps straight down from the bridge into a boat (510 kg) in
which the Joker is fleeing. The velocity of the boat is initially 11 m/s. What is the velocity of the boat after
Batman lands in it? (Answer: vF = 9.33 m/s)
Exercise #3
A 20 g bullet moving horizontally at 50 m/s strikes a 7 kg block resting on a table. The bullet embeds in the
block after collision. Find the velocity of the block after collision. (Answer: vF = 0.142 m/s)
Exercise #4
A 0.34 kg glider on a track is moving at 1.5 m/s collides with a 0.51 kg glider that is initially at rest. They
collide and stick together. How fast are the two gliders traveling after the collision? (Answer: vF = 0.60 m/s)
Exercise #5
A 3 kg bullet moving at 2 km/s strikes an 8 kg wooden block at rest on frictionless table. The bullet lodges in
the wooden block. How fast does the block move across the table after being struck?(Answer: vF = 545.45
m/s)
Elastic collisions exercises
Exercise #6
A carriage of mass 0.150 kg moving with a velocity of 1.2 m/s collides with a 0.30 kg carriage that is
stationary on an air track. The second carriage moves at 0.8 m/s after the collision. Calculate the velocity
after the collision of the first carriage if the collision is perfectly elastic. (Answer: v1‘ = -0.40 m/s)
Exercise #7
A 3 kg steel ball moving at 8 m/s collides with a stationary steel ball of mass 2 kg. After the collision, both
balls move in the same direction. The velocity of the 3 kg ball is 4 m/s after the collision. What is the
velocity of the 2 kg ball after the collision? (Answer: v2‘ = 6 m/s)
Exercise #8
A cart with mass 0.340 kg moving on a track at 1.2 m/s strikes a stationary second cart with a mass of 0.987
kg. After the collision, the first cart continues in its original direction at 0.66 m/s. What is the velocity of the
second cart after impact? (Answer: v2‘ = 0.188 m/s)
2
Exercise #9
A 112 g billiard ball moving at 1.54 m/s strikes a second billiard ball of the same mass moving in the
opposite direction at 0.46 m/s. The second billiard ball rebounds and travels at 0.72 m/s after the head-on
collision. Determine the velocity of the first billiard ball after the collision (Answer: v1‘ = 0.36 m/s)
Exercise #10
A 4.88 kg bowling ball moving east at 2.41 m/s strikes a stationary 0.95 kg bowling pin. Immediately after
the head-on collision, the pin is moving east at 5.19 m/s. Determine the velocity of the bowling ball after
the collision. (Answer: v1‘ = 1.40 m/s)
Conservation of Momentum Additional Problems (the additional problems can be elastic or inelastic)
1. A 98 kg rugby player is running along at 8.6 m/s when another player with a mass of 76 kg running
the same direction at 9.8 m/s jumps on his back. What is the post-collision speed of the two players
after the tackle? (Answer: vF = 9.12 m/s)
2. A 2 kg blob of prestik moving at 4 m/s slams into a 6 kg blob of prestik at rest. What is the speed of
the two stuck-together prestik immediately after colliding? (Answer: vF = 1.00 m/s)
3. A football player runs at 8 m/s and plows into an 80 kg referee standing on the field. The player hits
the referee and stops moving while the referee flies forward at 5 m/s. What is the mass of football
player? (Answer: m1 = 50 kg)
4. A 3,000 kg truck moving rightward with a speed of 5 m/s collides head-on with a 1,000 kg car
moving leftward with a speed of 10 m/s. The two vehicles stick together and move with the same
velocity after the collision. Determine the post-collision speed of the car and truck. (Answer: vF =
1.25 m/s)
5. Challenge!!!
An artillery shell of mass 30 kg has a velocity of 250 m/s vertically upward. The shell explodes into
two pieces; immediately after the explosion a fragment of mass 10 kg has a velocity of 120 m/s
straight downward. How high above the point of the explosion does the larger fragment rise? G= 9.8
ms-2(Answer: d = 9654.34 m)

Collisions Worksheet

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Collisions Worksheet

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Collisions Worksheet

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM – ELASTIC AND INELASTIC COLLISIONS

The above statement tells us that the total momentum of a collection

1. Elastic An inelastic collision is a collision in which there is a loss of kinetic

** We will NOT deal with this situation

A and B moves in the same direction

How will you know which situation occurred?

You might also like