Name:

Course/Section:

MOMENTUM
Module 2

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OBJECTIVES
At the end of this Module, you should be able to:

Relate the momentum, impulse, force, and time of contact in a system;

: compare and contrast elastic and inelastic collisions;
Apply the concept of restitution coefficient in collisions; and
Recognize the importance of momentum concepts for the prevention of
accidents in day-to-day activities.

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I- PRE-ACTIVITY:
Egg Drop

Objectives:
1. Identify specific heights where the eggs fracture and break.
2. Locate safe landing surface for eggs.
3. Use problem -solving strategies in performing activities.

Materials:
2 small eggs 2 large eggs Meter stick 1-inch foam

Procedure:
1. Prepare all the materials.
2. Scout out accessible locations in your home for the egg drop at
different heights.
3. Using a meter stick, measure a height of 0.5 meter, 1 meter and 1.5
meters.
4. Drop the small egg from 0.5 -meter height to a 1 -inch foam. Observe. If
not broken, drop it again in 1 -meter and 1.5 -meter height s. Record
your observations.
5. Repeat procedure 4, but this time, use the large egg. Record your
observations.
6. Drop the small egg from 0.5 -meter height to a hard floor. Observe. If
not broken, drop it again in 1 -meter and 1.5 -meter heights. Record
your observations.
7. Repeat procedure 6, but this time, use the large egg. Record your
observations.
8. Copy and fill in the table below.

Landing Observations
Egg Size Surface 0.5 meter 1 meter 1.5 meters
small
1-inch foam
large

small
Hard floor
large

Note: As you complete this task, send me your/photos or attached here.

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Guide Questions:
From your observations on the activity, answer the following questions in
your notebook/answer sheet. Write only the letter/s of the correct answer.
1. What factors affect the breaking of the eggs?
a. Mass
b. Height
c. Mass and Height
d. All of the above

2. Which of the following scenarios do you think would lead the eggs to
break?
a. The 50g egg drops from a height of 0.2 meters on a rubber mat
b. The 70g egg drops to the cemented floor at a height of 1.5 meters
c. The quail egg drops to the plastic cups from a height of 0.25 meter
d. The 50g egg drops from a height of 1 meter in a stack of cloth

3. What phenomenon is presented in the situation when the large egg

breaks when dropped to the hard floor from 1.5 meters?
a. Velocity
b. Gravity
c. Mass
d. Momentum

II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Hello there! You’ve got a glimpse of what

we will be tackling today in the pre -
activity of this kit.

Are you ready to start our journey ? To

start with, let us define first what is
momentum and impulse.

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 DISCUSSION

Momentum and Impulse

Recall the relation of inertia with a body‟s mass. Mass is the quantitative
description of inertia. Suppose there have two trucks with the same mass but
moving with different speeds. Which one is harder to stop – the faster truck or
the slower truck? Definitely, the faster truck is harder to stop. It has greater
inertia than the slower truck. This “inertia of moving objects” is called
momentum. It pertains to the difficulty of stopping an object.

Adapted from https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1096817_the_car-connections-besttrucks-to-buy-

2015

momentum = mass x velocity

Consider a car with a given mass and velocity. Newton described the
car‟s motion as momentum and has a symbol p which can be expressed as:

p = mv
where:
p is the object‟s momentum, in kilogram meters per second;
m is its mass, in kilograms; and v is its velocity, in meters per
second

Momentum, a vector quantity, is directly proportional to the body’s mass

and velocity.
You see from the definition that momentum depends on two quantities
– mass and velocity. An object can have a large momentum if its mass or
velocity (or both) is large. For example, even though a truck and a smaller car
have the same velocity, the truck has more momentum than the smaller car

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because of the former‟s greater mass. Also, a huge ship moving slowly as it
approaches the harbor has a large momentum because of its large mass.
Now, let‟s talk about impulse. The product of the force and the time t
over which the force acts is defined as the impulse (I).

impulse = Ft p

Thus, impulse = change in momentum

This equation is known as the impulse-momentum theorem.

The SI unit of impulse is Newton second (N.s) and kg.m/s for momentum.
These units of impulse and momentum are equal. Let us try to check how this
came about.

Remember,

I ρ

⃗F.t m. v

N.s = kg.m/s

Note that Newton is equal to kg.m/s2

Substitute Newton to

Kg.m/s2.s = kg.m/s

now cancel 1 s from s2 and s so we get

Kg.m/s = kg.m/s

Based on the units presented, impulse and momentum are equal.

Example 1:
Calculate the momentum of a 1,200kg car with a velocity of 25m/s to
north. p = mv = 1200kg x 25m/s

= 30,000kg.m/s N

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 Collisions
When two or more objects strike each other, a collision takes place. The
term collision is used to represent the event of two particles coming together
for a short time and thereby producing impulsive forces on each other. These
forces are assumed to be much greater than any external forces present.
Now if the system of particles is isolated, the resulting momentum is
conserved. Even if the momentum of each individual particle changes, the
total momentum remains constant. Therefore, the total momentum of an
isolated system just before a collision is equal to the total momentum of the
system after the collision.

Adapted from https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_mechanics_lesson03

Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

Momentum is conserved in any collision in which external forces are
negligible. In contrast, kinetic energy may or may not be constant, depending
on the type of collision. In fact, whether or not kinetic energy is the same before
and after the collision is used to classify collisions as being elastic or inelastic.

Concept of Elastic Collisions

An elastic collision between two objects is one in which total kinetic
energy (as well as total momentum) is the same before and after the collision.
Billiard-ball collisions and the collisions of air molecules with the walls of a
container at ordinary temperatures are approximately elastic. Truly elastic
collisions do occur, however, between atomic and subatomic particles.

Consider an elastic collision involving two objects of mass, m1 and m2.

Consider a head-on collision. The velocities of the objects before the elastic
collisions are v1 and v2 while v1f and v2f after the elastic collision.

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 From the law of conservation of linear momentum, it can be expressed
as:

When solving simultaneously, these two equations will solve problems

involving elastic collisions.

Adapted from
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.manilatimes.net/2019/10/30/sports/sports-top/cuesports-legends-
bata-django-at-scoop-forum/651964/amp/

Example 2:
A red ball of mass 0.2 kg hits a blue ball of 0.25 kg, in an elastic collision,
and the red ball comes to a stop. The red ball has a velocity of 5m/s, and the
ball was at rest. What is the final velocity of the blue ball?

m1 = 0.2kg

m2 = 0.25kg

v1 = 5m/s v2

= 0 v1f = 0

v2f= ?

mv mv mvf mvf

(0.2kg) (5m/s) + (0.25kg) (0m/s) = (0.2kg) (0) + (0.25kg) (v2f)

(1.0kg-m/s) + 0 = 0 +(0.25kg) (v2f)

1.0kg-m/s = (0.25kg) (v2f)

(0.25kg) (0.25kg)

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 (1.0kg-m/s)/ 0.25kg = v2f

4m/s = v2f

Concept of Inelastic Collisions

Generally, collisions are inelastic since the kinetic energy is converted to
other forms of energy such as thermal energy, potential energy, and sound
energy. To determine if a collision is elastic or inelastic, solve the kinetic energy
of the objects before and after the collision. If the kinetic energy is not
conserved, then the collision is inelastic. On the other hand, momentum is
conserved for all inelastic collisions.
Inelastic collisions are of two types. When the colliding objects stick
together as happens when a meteorite collides with the Earth, the collision is
called perfectly inelastic. When the colliding objects do not stick together, but
some kinetic energy is lost, as in the case of a rubber ball colliding with a hard
surface, the collision is inelastic (with no modifying verb).
In most collisions, kinetic energy is not the same before and after the
collision because some of it is converted to internal energy, to elastic potential
energy when the objects are deformed, and to rotational energy. Elastic and
perfectly inelastic collisions are limiting cases; most collisions fall somewhere
between them.
When two objects collide under inelastic condition, the final velocity with
which the object moves is given by

Example 3:

Anne is going by a slippery hill. She has a mass of 20kg, and she is sliding
the hill at a velocity of 5m/s. Her elder brother has a mass of 30kg. Her brother
is moving slower with a velocity of 2m/s. Anne collides to his brother.
Then both of them keep going down the hill as one unit. Calculate the resulting
velocity of Anne.

Given:

m1 = 20kg

m2 = 30kg

v1 = 5m/s

v2 = 2m/s

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 Thus, after Anne collides, the combined velocity of Anne and her brother
is 3.20m/s.

Now, how can we measure how

much kinetic energy after the two
objects collide ? That is what we will
be discussing right now. To start with,
let us first define what is coefficient of
restitution.

Coefficient of Restitution

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 More information here

When two objects collide with each other, many forces come into play,
which also means the application of various mathematical equations. Many of
these laws were first derived by the same super popular scientist who is credited
with numerous discoveries and derivations, meaning that he has a number of
patents to his name – Sir Isaac Newton.

Pertaining to the collision of two objects, Newton formulated a theory

that we now know as Newton’ law of re titution . It simply states that when two
bodies collide, the speed with which they move after the collision depends on
the material from which they are made.

The coefficient of restitution is actually a measure of the “restitution” (i.e.,

what you give back) of a collision between two objects, or in other words, how
much of the kinetic energy remains after two objects collide.

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 Let‟s suppose a rubber ball bounces on a flat, hard surface. Obviously, the
rubber ball will rebound off the surface, but with only a fraction of its original
energy, because all real collisions are inelastic. ( Note: If this collision were elastic,
then the ball would have bounced back with the same amount of energy it had
before striking the surface.)

You see, when you deform

something by colliding it with
something else (say, when you
bounce a basketball on the
ground), a fraction of its original
energy is lost. That‟s why the
basketball bounces lower with
every collision – as its energy
gets converted to heat/vibrations.
As the ball bounces, it keeps losing
energy and becomes less and less „bouncy‟.
In this case, you can think of the coefficient of restitution as an entity that
tells you how efficient the “bouncing” process is. The more efficient it is, the more
„bouncy‟ the basketball shall be.

Now the Question is, how can we solve

for the coefficient of restitution and
what are its values? What is the
importance of it? Turn to the next page
to learn more.

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 Values of the Coefficient of Restitution

As mentioned earlier, the coefficient of restitution is a

measure of how much kinetic energy remains after the
collision of two bodies. Its value ranges from to . If it‟s on
the higher side (i.e., close to 1), it suggests that very little
kinetic energy is lost during the collision; on the other hand, if
the value is low, it indicates that a large amount of kinetic
energy is converted into heat or otherwise absorbed
through deformation.

In the case of a perfectly elastic co llision, which does

not happen in real -world settings, the coefficient of
restitution would be precisely 1.00. Therefore, if you want a
basketball that‟s more „bouncy‟ than others, you need to
pick one with a high coefficient of restitution.

Coefficient of Restitution Formula

The coefficient of restitution is found by the formula

Coefficient of Restitution = speed up/speed down.

In order to find speed we had to use, the average height,

that we measured, and put it in the formula

𝑣 √(2𝑔ℎ)

Where v = velocity, g = 9.8m/s2, and h = average height

measured.

We took the average of the bounced height value (h) and

put it in the formula along with the initial height (H).
(2𝑔ℎ)
𝐶𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
2𝑔𝐻

ℎ
𝐶𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝐻

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 What is the Importance of Coefficient of
Restitution?

The coefficient of restitution is important because it is

what determines whether a collision is elastic or inelastic in
nature.
Determining whether a collision is elastic or not shows
if there is any form of loss of kinetic energy as a result of the
collision. During the collision, in a perfect system, the kinetic
energy of one object would get transferred to the other
object when it collides.

Applications of Coefficient of Restitution

SPORTS

The coefficient of restitution can be used to determine the

speed of a ball after it collides with the bat in a game of cricket. By
determining the kinetic energy of the ball after being bowled and
after it collides with the bat, the speed of the ball can be
determined. Similarly, this can be done for other sports such as
basketball.

INDUSTRIES
The ratios of the average kinetic energies are used in collision
testing for various objects in industrial settings. This value can be
used to study the nature of the objects and determine their uses in
various kinds of equipment that could be exposed to collisions.
For example, in car manufacturing industries it can be used to
reduce the impact of a collision on the body of a car to prevent too
many injuries to the passengers inside.

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Activity:
Directions: Try to solve the following problems. Write your solutions in your
notebook/Answer Sheet.
1. Calculate the momentum of a 110 kg football player running at 8 m/s.
2. What is the momentum of a bowling ball with mass 5kg and velocity
10m/s?
3. Complete the table below. Given are the initial height and the different
bounce height values. Calculate the average bounced height values
and the coefficient of restitution of the following objects
H h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h COR
OBJECT
(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) ave

Tennis 92 47 46 45 48 47
Ball

Performance Task:
Note: As you complete this task, send me your photos, or attached here.

As a new congressman, you are proposing a new traffic rule where, instead of
a speed limit, a momentum limit for vehicles will be imposed. You argue that
large vehicles such as heavy trucks running at the same speed as a small car
are more difficult to stop and can thus cause more damage during collisions.
The maximum speed limit should depend on the type of vehicle.
For your fellow congressmen to understand this, you need to do the following
activity, and explain the results and analyses through video presentation. To
convince congress of your proposal.

Materials: two dynamic carts with one of them having a spring mechanism
Bumpers
Meter stick

Procedure:
1. Determine the masses of the two carts. Record the masses as trial 1 in
the table below.
2. Place two bumpers 2 meters apart at the opposite ends of a table.
3. Arrange the two carts near the center of the table with a compressed
spring between them, as shown in the figure below. When the spring is
released, the two carts move away from each other and an
“explosion” has occurred.

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 Adapted from DIWA Learning Systems Inc.

4. Locate a starting point for both carts somewhere between the bumpers
wherein upon release, the carts will hit the bumpers at the same time.
5. Measure the distances and when each cart has moved. If you
assume the velocities of the carts to be approximately constant,

where and are the constant velocities of carts 1 and 2, respectively,

after the explosion. Because both carts hit the bumper at the same time,
the time . Record your observation in the table below.

Trial Mass of Mass of (cm) (cm) Ratio

cart 1 cart 2
(g) (g)
1

Average:
Theoretical
ratio:
Percent
error:

6. For the succeeding trial, vary the masses of the carts by adding known
masses on both or on one of the carts. For momentum to be conserved,
the theoretical value of the ratio is 1.00.

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 III. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Good Job! I am so proud of you for

finishing this journey with me!

What have you learned today ? Can you define what

Coefficient of Restitution is ? Who derive the law of restitution ?
Yes, as its name signifies, the coefficient of restitution is actually a
measure of t he “restitution” (i.e., what you give back) of a
collision between two objects, or in other words, how much of
the kinetic energy remains after two objects collide. The Law of
Restitution is actually derived by Sir Isaac Newton.

Can you still recall the f ormula of coefficient of restitution ?

What is the importance of it and where can it be applied ? That’s
great! Please write it down on your notes or highlight it because
it’s very essential in our last and final journey - the Evaluation/
Assessment part of this module.

Now, I think you are ready to face the final

stage of this journey. This would test your
learning from our lesson today. God Bless.

EVALUATION
I. TRUE or FALSE:
Directions: Read each sentences carefully. Right TRUE if the statement is
correct and FALSE if otherwise. Write your answers on your
notebook/Activity Sheet.
1. A small bullet moving at low speed has a large momentum because
of its velocity.

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 2. Momentum is conserved in any collision in which external forces are
negligible.
3. Elastic collision occurs when the kinetic energy is converted to other
forms of energy such as thermal energy, potential energy, and
sound energy.

II. Directions: Complete the table below. Given are the

initial height and the different bounce height values.
Calculate the average bounced height values and the
coefficient of restitution of the following objects.
H h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h ave COR
OBJECT
(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm)
Billiard Ball 92 60 55 61 59 62
Hand Ball 92 51 51 52 53 53

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IV. References
There are no sources in the current document.

Books:
Arevalo, Ryan L. and Mulig, Charity I. General Physics 1. Makati City,
Philippines: DIWA Learning Systems Inc., 2017.

Santos, Gil Nonato C. General Physics 1. Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines:

REX Bookstore, 2017.

Serway, Raymond A. and Beichner, Robert J. Physics for Scientists and

Engineers with Modern Physics, Fifth Edition. United States of
America: Thomson Learning Inc., 2000.

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