AP-C Mechanics

Momentum
Learning Guide
Enduring Understanding
Momentum is transferred when objects interact.

Essential Questions
1. Where must the center of mass lay?
2. What the relationship between Newton's Second Law and the conservation of momentum?
3. Which has a greater impact on the motion of an object: the force applied or the time applied?
4. What are the implications of Newton's Third Law of Motion?

Readings - https://openstax.org/details/books/university-physics-volume-1
Chapter 9 Omit Section 9.7

Vocabulary
Understand and apply the definitions of the following terms.
1. Center of Mass 5. Impulse 9. Momentum
2. Conserved 6. Impulse-Momentum 10. Perfectly Inelastic
3. Conservation of Theorem Collision
Momentum 7. Inelastic Collision 11. Recoil Collision
4. Elastic Collision 8. Kinetic Energy 12. Coefficient of the
Restitution

Equations
Understand and memorize the equations below along with any equations derived in class.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/Physics_equation_tables.pdf

∑ 𝑚𝒓
𝒓!" =
∑𝑚

𝑑𝒑
𝑭=
𝑑𝑡

𝑱 = * 𝑭𝑑𝑡 = ∆𝒑

𝒑 = 𝑚𝒗
 Learning Targets
Center of Mass
1 Students should understand the technique for finding center of mass so they can:
(A) Identify by inspection the center of mass of an object that has a point of symmetry.
(B) Locate the center of mass of a system consisting of two such objects.
(C) Use integration to find the center of mass of a thin rod of nonuniform density, of a plane lamina of
uniform density, or of a solid of revolution of uniform density.
2. Students should be able to state, prove, and apply the relation between center-of-mass velocity and
linear momentum, and between center-of-mass acceleration and net external force for a system of
particles.
3. Students should be able to define center of gravity and to use this concept to express the gravitational
potential energy of a rigid object in terms of the position of its center of mass.
Impulse and Momentum
4. Students should understand impulse and linear momentum so they can:
(A) Relate mass, velocity, and linear momentum for a moving object, and calculate the total linear
momentum of a system of objects.
(B) Relate impulse to the change in linear momentum and the average force acting on an object.
(C) State and apply the relations between linear momentum and center-of-mass motion for a system of
particles.
(D) Calculate the area under a force versus time graph and relate it to the change in momentum of an
object.
(E) Calculate the change in momentum of an object given a function F(t) for the net force acting on the
object.
Conservation of Linear Momentum, Collisions
5. Students should understand linear momentum conservation so they can:
(A) Explain how linear momentum conservation follows as a consequence of Newton’s Third Law for
an isolated system.
(B) Identify situations in which linear momentum, or a component of the linear momentum vector, is
conserved.
(C) Apply linear momentum conservation to one-dimensional elastic and inelastic collisions and two-
dimensional completely inelastic collisions.
(D) Apply linear momentum conservation to two-dimensional elastic and inelastic collisions.
(E) Analyze situations in which two objects are pushed apart by a spring or other agency, and calculate
how much energy is released in such a process.
6. Students should understand frames of reference so they can:
(A) Analyze the uniform motion of a particle relative to a moving medium such as a flowing stream.
(B) Analyze the motion of particles relative to a frame of reference that is accelerating horizontally or
vertically at a uniform rate.
© The College Board – Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org

Flowcharts and Help Sheets – www.GravityKills.net

AP-C
Mechanics
Work and Energy
Practice Multiple-Choice Test
Multiple Choice
Select the best answer.

1. Consider two less-than-desirable options. In the first you are driving 30 mph and crash head-on into an
identical car also going 30 mph. In the second option you are driving 30 mph and crash head-on into a
stationary brick wall. In neither case does your car bounce off the thing it hits, and the collision time is the
same in both cases. Which of these two situations would result in the greatest impact force?
a) hitting the other car
b) hitting the brick wall
c) The force would be the same in both cases.
d) We cannot answer this question without more information.
e) None of these is true.
2. You are standing on a skateboard, initially at rest. A friend throws a very heavy ball towards you. You can
either catch the object or deflect the object back towards your friend (such that it moves away from you
with the same speed as it was originally thrown). What should you do in order to MINIMIZE your speed on
the skateboard?
a) Catch the ball.
b) Deflect the ball.
c) Your final speed on the skateboard will be the same regardless whether you catch
the ball or deflect the ball.
3. In a collision between two objects having unequal masses, how does magnitude of the impulse imparted
to the lighter object by the heavier one compare with the magnitude of the impulse imparted to the heavier
object by the lighter one?
a) The lighter object receives a larger impulse.
b) The heavier object receives a larger impulse.
c) Both objects receive the same impulse.
d) The answer depends on the ratio of the masses.
e) The answer depends on the ratio of the speeds.
4. A firecracker breaks up into several pieces, one of which has a mass of 200 g and flies off along the x-axis
with a speed of 82.0 m/s. A second piece has a mass of 300 g and flies off along the y-axis with a speed
of 45.0 m/s. What are the magnitude and direction of the total momentum of these two pieces?
a) 361 kg·m/s at 56.3 degrees from the x-axis
b) 93.5 kg·m/s at 28.8 degrees from the x-axis
c) 21.2 kg·m/s at 39.5 degrees from the x-axis
d) 361 kg·m/s at 0.983 degrees from the x-axis
e) 21.2 kg·m/s at 56.3 degrees from the x-axis
5. During a collision with a wall, the velocity of a 0.200-kg ball changes from 20.0 m/s toward the wall to 12.0
m/s away from the wall. If the time the ball was in contact with the wall was 60.0 ms, what was the
magnitude of the average force applied to the ball?
a) 40.0 N
b) 107 N
c) 16.7 N
d) 26.7 N
e) 13.3 N
6. Two objects of the same mass move along the same line in opposite directions. The first mass is moving
with speed v. The objects collide, stick together, and move with speed 0.100v in the direction of the
velocity of the first mass before the collision. What was the speed of the second mass before the
collision?
a) 1.20v
b) 10.0v
c) 0.900v
d) 0.800v
e) 0.00v
7. A car heading north collides at an intersection with a truck of the same mass as the car heading east. If
they lock together and travel at 28 m/s at 46° north of east just after the collision, how fast was the car
initially traveling? Assume that any other unbalanced forces are negligible.
a) 40 m/s
b) 20 m/s
c) 80 m/s
d) 30 m/s
8. Two ice skaters push off against one another starting from a stationary position. The 45.0-kg skater
acquires a speed of 0.375 m/s. What speed does the 60.0-kg skater acquire? Assume that any other
unbalanced forces during the collision are negligible.
a) 0.500 m/s
b) 0.281 m/s
c) 0.375 m/s
d) 0.750 m/s
e) 0.000 m/s
9. A 1.2-kg spring-activated toy bomb slides on a smooth surface along the x-axis with a speed of 0.50 m/s.
At the origin 0, the bomb explodes into two fragments. Fragment 1 has a mass of 0.40 kg and a speed of
0.90 m/s along the negative y-axis. In the figure, the angle θ, made by the velocity vector of fragment 2
and the x-axis, is closest to

a) 31 degrees
b) 37 degrees
c) 38 degrees
d) 53 degrees
e) 59 degrees
10. A baseball is thrown vertically upward and feels no air resistance. As it is rising
a) both its momentum and its mechanical energy are conserved.
b) its momentum is not conserved, but its mechanical energy is conserved.
c) both its momentum and its kinetic energy are conserved.
d) its kinetic energy is conserved, but its momentum is not conserved.
e) its gravitational potential energy is not conserved, buts its momentum is
conserved.
11. A 1.0-kg block and a 2.0-kg block are pressed together on a horizontal frictionless surface with a
compressed very light spring between them. They are not attached to the spring. After they are released
and have both moved free of the spring
a) the lighter block will have more kinetic energy than the heavier block.
b) the heavier block will have more kinetic energy than the lighter block.
c) both blocks will both have the same amount of kinetic energy.
d) both blocks will have equal speeds.
e) the magnitude of the momentum of the heavier block will be greater than the
magnitude of the momentum of the lighter block.
12. A 620-g object traveling at 2.1 m/s collides head-on with a 320-g object traveling in the opposite direction
at 3.8 m/s. If the collision is perfectly elastic, what is the change in the kinetic energy of the 620-g object?
a) It loses 0.23 J.
b) It gains 0.69 J.
c) It loses 0.47 J.
d) It loses 1.4 J.
e) It doesn’t lose any kinetic energy because the collision is elastic.
13. A block of mass m = 8.40 kg, moving on a horizontal frictionless surface with a speed 4.20 m/s, makes a
perfectly elastic collision with a block of mass M at rest. After the collision, the 8.40 block recoils with a
speed of 0.400 m/s. In the figure, the blocks are in contact for 0.200 s. The magnitude of the average
force on the 8.40-kg block, while the two blocks are in contact, is closest to

a) 193 N
b) 185 N
c) 176 N
d) 168 N
e) 160 N
14. A 15-g bullet is shot vertically into an 2-kg block. The block lifts upward 8.0 mm (see the figure). The bullet
penetrates the block and comes to rest in it in a time interval of 0.0010 s. Assume the force on the bullet is
constant during penetration and that air resistance is negligible. The initial kinetic energy of the bullet is
closest to

a) 21 J
b) 14 J
c) 10 J
d) 0.0012 J
e) 0.16 J
15. A small glider is coasting horizontally when suddenly a very heavy piece of cargo falls out of the bottom of
the plane. You can neglect air resistance. Just after the cargo has fallen out
a) the plane speeds up and the cargo slows down.
b) the plane speeds up but the cargo does not change speed.
c) neither the cargo nor the plane change speed.
d) the cargo slows down but the plane does not change speed.
e) both the cargo and the plane speed up.

16. A small car has a head-on collision with a large truck. Which of the following statements concerning the
magnitude of the average force due to the collision is correct?
a) The truck experiences the greater average force.
b) The small car experiences the greater average force.
c) The small car and the truck experience the same average force.
d) It is impossible to tell since the masses are not given.
e) It is impossible to tell since the velocities are not given.
17. A 480-kg car moving at 14.4 m/s hits from behind a 570-kg car moving at 13.3 m/s in the same direction.
If the new speed of the heavier car is 14.0 m/s, what is the speed of the lighter car after the collision,
assuming that any unbalanced forces on the system are negligibly small?
a) 13.6 m/s
b) 10.5 m/s
c) 19.9 m/s
d) 5.24 m/s
18. Two objects of the same mass move along the same line in opposite directions. The first mass is moving
with speed v. The objects collide, stick together, and move with speed 0.100v in the direction of the
velocity of the first mass before the collision. What was the speed of the second mass before the
collision?
a) 1.20v
b) 10.0v
c) 0.900v
d) 0.800v
e) 0.00v
19. A 1000-kg car approaches an intersection traveling north at 20.0 m/s. A 1200-kg car approaches the
same intersection traveling east at 22.0 m/s. The two cars collide at the intersection and lock together.
Ignoring any external forces that act on the cars during the collision, what is the velocity of the cars
immediately after the collision?
a) 29.7 m/s in a direction 47.7 degrees east of north
b) 21.1 m/s in a direction 47.7 degrees west of south
c) 15.1 m/s in a direction 52.8 degrees east of north
d) 21.1 m/s in a direction 52.8 degrees east of north
e) 21.1 m/s in a direction 47.7 degrees east of north
20. In an INELASTIC collision between two objects
a) the momentum of each object is conserved.
b) the kinetic energy of each object is conserved.
c) the momentum of the system is conserved but the kinetic energy of the system is
not conserved.
d) both the momentum and the kinetic energy of the system are conserved.
e) the kinetic energy of the system is conserved, but the momentum of the system is
not conserved.

21. In the figure, four point masses are placed as shown. The x and y coordinates of the center of mass are
closest to

a) (2.2 m, 2.6 m).

b) (2.2 m, 2.7 m).
c) (2.3 m, 2.6 m).
d) (2.3 m, 2.7 m).
e) (2.3 m, 2.8 m).
22. A particle moves along the x axis. Its momentum is graphed below as a function of time. Rank the
numbered regions according to the magnitude of the force acting on the particle, least to greatest.

a) 1, 4, 3, 2
b) 1, 2, 3, 4
c) 2, 4, 3, 1
d) 2, 3, 4, 1
e) 1, 3, 4, 2
23. A ball of mass m strikes a wall that is perpendicular to its path at speed +v and rebounds in the opposite
direction with a speed –v. The impulse imparted to the ball by the wall is
a) 2mv
b) mv
c) zero
d) –mv
e) –2mv

24. An object of mass m is moving with speed v0 to the right on a horizontal frictionless surface, as shown to
the right, when it explodes into two pieces. Subsequently, one piece of mass 2/5 m moves with a speed
v0/2 to the left. The speed of the other piece of the object is

a) vo/3
b) vo/2
c) 4vo/3
d) 2vo
e) 3vo/2
25. For a system consisting of two particles that undergo an elastic collision,
a) the mechanical energy is conserved but momentum is not conserved.
b) momentum is conserved but the total energy is not conserved.
c) both kinetic energy and momentum are conserved.
d) neither the total energy nor the momentum is necessarily conserved.
e) neither the kinetic energy nor the momentum is conserved.
26. Choose the graph of the horizontal component of momentum versus time below that best corresponds to
a thrown baseball traveling towards home plate that is struck by a bat and flies into the outfield:
a) c)

b) d)

27. Choose the graph of net horizontal force versus time from those below that corresponds to a thrown
baseball traveling towards home plate that is struck by a bat and flies into the outfield:
a) c)

b) d)

28. A boy of mass m runs at a speed of v and jumps onto a cart as shown below. The cart is initially at rest.
The speed of the cart with the boy on it is ¼ v. Calculate the mass of the cart.

a) 4m
b) 3m
c) 2m
d) ½m
e) ¼m
29. A 4.0-kg block, initially at rest, experiences a force (measure in kN) that varies with time as shown below.
When t = 6.0 milliseconds, the speed of the block is

a) 3.0 m/s
b) 5.0 m/s
c) 6.0 m/s
d) 12 m/s
e) 6.0 km/s
30. The center of mass of the system of particles shown in the diagram is at point

a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5
31. Two identical bodies of mass M move with equal speeds v. The direction of their velocities is illustrated in
the figure. The magnitude of the linear momentum of the system is

a)
b)
c) 2Mv
d) Mv
e) 4Mv

32. An explosion splits an object initially at rest into two pieces of unequal mass. Which piece moves at
greater speed?
a) The more massive piece.
b) The less massive piece.
c) They both move at the same speed.
d) It depends on the nature of the explosion

33. A large wedge rests on a horizontal frictionless surface, as shown. A block starts from rest and slides
down the inclined surface of the wedge, which is rough. During the motion of the block the center of mass
of the block and wedge:

a) moves horizontally with constant speed

b) does not move
c) moves both horizontally and vertically
d) moves vertically with increasing speed
e) moves horizontally with increasing speed
34. The diagram below represents two identical carts, attached by a cord, moving to the right at speed V. The
cord is cut, calculate the speed of cart A.

a) 0 c) V
b) 2V d) V/2
35. Base your answer on the diagram below which represents a 2.0 kilogram mass moving in a circular path
on the end of a string 0.50 meter long. The mass moves in a horizontal plane at a constant speed of 4.0
meters per second.

In the position shown in the diagram, the momentum of the mass is directed toward point
a) A c) C
b) B d) D

Answers
1. C 6. D 11. A 16. C 21. E 26. B 31. A
2. A 7. A 12. A 17. A 22. D 27. D 32. B
3. C 8. B 13. A 18. D 23. E 28. B 33. D
4. C 9. A 14. A 19. C 24. D 29. A 34. C
5. B 10. B 15. C 20. C 25. C 30. B 35. D
 Mechanics
AP-C
Momentum
Test and QUEST Breakdown
Test Breakdown QUEST Breakdown
Multiple-Choice Test Center of Mass #1-7
• 25 AP Level and Style Questions Momentum #8-13
Free Response Test Impulse-Momentum #14-22
• 2-3 Free Response Level and Style Questions Collisions #23-43

Multiple-Choice Questions
Practice multiple-choice questions with answers are available on the Learning Guide.

Free Response Problems

One or more of the free response problems below, in part or in whole, will be integrate into the Free Response
test. In addition, one or more free response problems will be selected from past AP exam problems, QUEST,
in-class activities or class notes.

Conservation
A ramp of mass M is at rest on a horizontal surface. A small cart of mass m is placed at the top of the ramp
and released. The wheels on the cart and ramp turn freely.

a) Write an equation that expresses the initial and final momentum of the system.
b) Write an equation that expresses the initial and final energy of the system.
c) Derive an expression for the velocities of the ramp and the cart relative to the ground at the instant the cart
leaves the ramp?
d) Calculate the velocity of the ramp and cart relative to the ground at the instant the cart leaves the ramp
if M = ______ kg, m = ______ kg and h = ______ m.
e) How would the velocity of the ramp and cart change if the wheels on the ramp do NOT turn freely (the
wheels turn, but not freely)?
i. ramp’s velocity would – increase – decrease – remain unchanged
ii. cart’s velocity would – increase – decrease – remain unchanged
f) How would the velocity of the ramp and cart change if the wheels on the cart do NOT turn freely (the wheels
turn, but not freely)?
i. ramp’s velocity would – increase – decrease – remain unchanged
ii. cart’s velocity would – increase – decrease – remain unchanged
Momentum Problem Set Ups

Before the Collision – How does an object acquire its initial velocity before a collision?
• Energy transfer – Firing of an object from a compressed spring.
• Energy exchange – Releasing of an object from a given height (fall, drop, slide, swing, etc.).

Collisions
• Identify and solve: elastic, inelastic, perfectly inelastic and recoil collisions.

After the Collision – What does the object(s) do after acquiring its final velocity?
• Energy transfer – Slides to a stop along a rough surface
• Energy exchange – swings, loop, hill, curved vertical path, inclined path, projectile motion