Physical Sciences P1 (Physics) Gr 12 17 FS / January 2021

QUESTION 16
A small ball is dropped from a
height of 2 m and bounces a few
times after landing on a cement
floor. Ignore air friction. The
position-time graph, not drawn to 1,85
scale, represents the motion of
the ball.

16.1 Define the term

free fall. (2)
16.2 Use the graph and
determine:
16.2.1 The time that the
ball is in contact
with the floor
before the first
bounce (2)
16.2.2 The time it takes the ball to reach its maximum height after the first bounce (2)
16.2.3 The speed at which the ball leaves the floor at the first bounce (3)
16.2.4 Time t indicated on the graph (6)
[15]

MOMENTUM AND IMPULSE

QUESTION 1
Dancers have to learn many skills, including how to land correctly. A dancer of mass 50 kg leaps into the air and
lands feet first on the ground. She lands on the ground with a velocity of 5 m∙s -1. As she lands, she bends her
knees and comes to a complete stop in 0,2 seconds.
1.1 Calculate the momentum with which the dancer reaches the ground. (3)
1.2 Define the term impulse of a force. (2)
1.3 Calculate the magnitude of the net force acting on the dancer as she lands. (3)
Assume that the dancer performs the same jump as before but lands without bending her knees.
1.4 Will the force now be GREATER THAN, SMALLER THAN or EQUAL TO the force calculated in
QUESTION 1.3? (1)
1.5 Give a reason for the answer to QUESTION 1.4. (3)
[12]
QUESTION 2
Percy, mass 75 kg, rides at 20 m∙s-1 on a quad bike (motorcycle with four wheels) with a mass of 100 kg. He
suddenly applies the brakes when he approaches a red traffic light on a wet and slippery road. The wheels of
the quad bike lock and the bike slides forward in a straight line. The force of friction causes the bike to stop in
8 s.
2.1 Define the concept momentum in words. (2)
2.2 Calculate the change in momentum of Percy and the bike, from the moment the brakes
lock until the bike comes to a stop. (4)
2.3 Calculate the average frictional force exerted by the road on the wheels to stop the bike. (4)
[10]
QUESTION 3
Two stationary steel balls, A and B, are suspended next to each other by massless, inelastic strings as shown
in Diagram 1 below.

Diagram 1 Diagram 2

A
0,2 m
A B B
Ball A of mass 0,2 kg is displaced through a vertical distance of 0,2 m, as shown in Diagram 2 above. When
ball A is released, it collides elastically and head-on with ball B. Ignore the effects of air friction.

Terms, definitions, questions & answers © Free State Department of Education

Physical Sciences P1 (Physics) Gr 12 18 FS / January 2021

3.1 What is meant by an elastic collision? (2)

Immediately after the collision, ball A moves horizontally backwards (to the left). Ball B acquires kinetic energy
of 0,12 J and moves horizontally forward (to the right). Calculate the:
3.2 Kinetic energy of ball A just before it collides with ball B (Use energy principles only.) (3)
3.3 Speed of ball A immediately after the collision (4)
3.4 Magnitude of the impulse on ball A during the collision (5)
[14]
QUESTION 4
A bullet of mass 20 g is fired from a stationary rifle of mass 3 kg. Assume that the bullet moves horizontally.
Immediately after firing, the rifle recoils (moves back) with a velocity of 1,4 m∙s -1.
4.1 Calculate the speed at which the bullet leaves the rifle. (4)
The bullet strikes a stationary 5 kg wooden block fixed to a flat, horizontal table. The bullet is brought
to rest after travelling a distance of 0,4 m into the block. Refer to the diagram below.
before after
20 g
5 kg

4.2 Calculate the magnitude of the average force exerted by the block on the bullet. (5)
4.3 How does the magnitude of the force calculated in QUESTION 3.2 compare to the magnitude
of the force exerted by the bullet on the block? Write down only LARGER THAN, SMALLER THAN or
THE SAME. (1)
[10]
QUESTION 5
The diagram shows two trolleys, P and Q, held together by
means of a compressed spring on a flat, frictionless horizontal P Q
track. The masses of P and Q are 400 g and 600 g respectively.
When the trolleys are released, it takes 0,3 s for the spring to 400 g 600 g
unwind to its natural length. Trolley Q then moves to the right at
4 m∙s-1.
5.1 State the principle of conservation of linear momentum in words. (2)
5.2 Calculate the:
5.2.1 Velocity of trolley P after the trolleys are released (4)
5.2.2 Magnitude of the average force exerted by the spring on trolley Q (4)
5.3 Is this an elastic collision? Only answer YES or NO. (1)
[11]
QUESTION 6
The diagram below shows two sections, XY and YZ, of a horizontal, flat surface. Section XY is smooth, while
section YZ is rough. A 5 kg block, moving with a velocity of 4 m∙s-1 to the right, collides head-on with a stationary
3 kg block. After the collision, the two blocks stick together and move to the right, past point Y. The combined
blocks travel for 0,3 s from point Y before coming to a stop at point Z.
4 m∙s-1 0 m∙s-1
X 5 kg 3 kg Y Z

6.1 State the principle of conservation of linear momentum in words. (2)

6.2 Calculate the magnitude of the:
6.2.1 Velocity of the combined blocks at point Y (4)
6.2.2 Net force acting on the combined blocks when they move through section YZ (4)
[10]

Terms, definitions, questions & answers © Free State Department of Education

Physical Sciences P1 (Physics) Gr 12 19 FS / January 2021

QUESTION 7
The graph below shows how the momentum of car A changes with time just before and just after a head-on
collision with car B. Car A has a mass of 1 500 kg, while the mass of car B is 900 kg. Car B was travelling at a
constant velocity of 15 m∙s-1 west before the collision. Take east as positive and consider the system as
isolated.
MOMENTUM VERSUS TIME GRAPH FOR CAR A

40 000 ─

N
Momentum (kg∙m·s-1)

30 000 ─ E
W

S
20 000 ─

14 000 ─
10 000 ─

0
20 20,1 20,2 20,3 Time (s)

7.1 What do you understand by the term isolated system as used in physics? (1)

Use the information in the graph to answer the following questions.

7.2 Calculate the:

7.2.1 Magnitude of the velocity of car A just before the collision (3)
7.2.2 Velocity of car B just after the collision (5)
7.2.3 Magnitude of the net average force acting on car A during the collision (4)
[13]
QUESTION 8
A teacher demonstrates the principle of conservation of linear
momentum using two trolleys. The teacher first places the
trolleys, A and B, some distance apart on a flat frictionless
horizontal surface, as shown in the diagram. The mass of trolley
A is 3,5 kg and that of trolley B is 6,0 kg.
Trolley A moves towards trolley B at constant velocity. The table
below shows the position of trolley A for time intervals of 0,4 s before it collides with trolley B.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSITION AND TIME FOR TROLLEY A

Position of trolley A (m) 0 0,2 0,4 0,6
Time (s) 0 0,4 0,8 1,2

8.1 Use the table above to prove that trolley A is moving at constant velocity before it collides
with trolley B. (3)
8.2 State the principle of conservation of linear momentum in words. (2)

At time t = 1,2 s, trolley A collides with stationary trolley B. The collision time is 0,5 s after which the two
trolleys move off together.
8.3 Calculate the magnitude of the average net force exerted on trolley B by trolley A. (6)
[11]

Terms, definitions, questions & answers © Free State Department of Education

Physical Sciences P1 (Physics) Gr 12 20 FS / January 2021

QUESTION 9
9.1 Define the term impulse in words. (2)
9.2 The diagram below shows a gun mounted on a mechanical support which is fixed to the ground.
The gun is capable of firing bullets rapidly in a horizontal direction. Each bullet travels at a speed of
700 m∙s-1 in an easterly direction when it leaves the gun.
(Take the initial velocity of a bullet, before being fired, as zero.)
700 m∙s-1
gun N

W E
bullets

mechanical
support S
ground
The gun fires 220 bullets per minute. The mass of each bullet is 0,03 kg.
Calculate the:
9.2.1 Magnitude of the momentum of each bullet when it leaves the gun (3)
9.2.2 The net average force that each bullet exerts on the gun (5)
9.3 Without any further calculation, write down the net average horizontal force that the mechanical
support exerts on the gun. (2)
[12]
QUESTION 10
A 2 kg block is at rest on a smooth, frictionless, horizontal table. The length of the block is x. A bullet of mass
0,015 kg, travelling east at 400 m∙s-1, strikes the block and passes straight through it with constant acceleration.
Refer to the diagram below. Ignore any loss of mass of the bullet and the block.

10.1 State the principle of conservation of linear momentum in words. (2)

The block moves eastwards at 0,7 m∙s-1 after the bullet has emerged from it.
10.2 Calculate the magnitude of the velocity of the bullet immediately after it emerges from the
block. (4)
10.3 If the bullet takes 0,002 s to travel through the block, calculate the length, x, of the block. (5)
[11]
QUESTION 11
The diagram below shows two skateboards, A and B, initially at rest, with a cat standing on skateboard A. The
skateboards are in a straight line, one in front of the other and a short distance apart. The surface is flat,
frictionless and horizontal.

11.1 State the principle of conservation of linear momentum in words. (2)

EACH skateboard has a mass of 3,5 kg. The cat, of mass 2,6 kg, jumps from skateboard A with a horizontal
velocity of 3 m∙s-1 and lands on skateboard B with the same velocity. Refer to the diagram below.

Terms, definitions, questions & answers © Free State Department of Education

Physical Sciences P1 (Physics) Gr 12 21 FS / January 2021

11.2 Calculate the velocity of skateboard A just after the cat has jumped from it. (5)
11.3 Immediately after the cat has landed, the cat and skateboard B move horizontally to the right at
1,28 m∙s-1. Calculate the magnitude of the impulse on skateboard B as a result of the cat's landing. (3)
[10]
QUESTION 12
A trolley of mass 1,5 kg is held stationary at point A
at the top of a frictionless track. When the 1,5 kg
trolley is released, it moves down the track. It passes
point P at the bottom of the incline and collides with
a stationary 2 kg trolley at point B. Refer to the
diagram. Ignore air resistance and rotational effects.
12.1 Use the principle of conservation of
mechanical energy to calculate the speed
of the 1,5 kg trolley at point P. (4)
When the two trolleys collide, they stick together and
continue moving with constant velocity.
12.2 The principle of conservation of linear momentum is given by the incomplete statement below.
In a/an … system, the … linear momentum is conserved.
Rewrite the complete statement and fill in the missing words or phrases. (2)
12.3 Calculate the speed of the combined trolleys immediately after the collision. (4)
12.4 Calculate the distance travelled by the combined trolleys in 3 s after the collision. (3)
[13]
QUESTION 13
Initially a girl on roller skates is at rest on a smooth horizontal pavement. The girl
throws a parcel, of mass 8 kg, horizontally to the right at a speed of 4 m·s -1.
Immediately after the parcel has been thrown, the girl-roller-skate combination moves
at a speed of 0,6 m·s-1. Ignore the effects of friction and rotation.

13.1 Define the term momentum in words. (2)

13.2 Will the girl-roller-skate combination move TO THE RIGHT or TO THE LEFT after the parcel is
thrown? NAME the law in physics that can be used to explain your choice of direction. (2)
The total mass of the roller skates is 2 kg.
13.3 Calculate the mass of the girl. (5)
13.4 Calculate the magnitude of the impulse that the girl-roller-skate combination is experiencing while the
parcel is being thrown. (3)

13.5 Without any further calculation, write down the change in momentum experienced by the parcel while
it is being thrown. (2)
[14]
QUESTION 14
A soccer player kicks a ball of mass 0,45 kg to the east. The ball travels horizontally at a velocity of 9 m⋅s-1 along a
straight line, without touching the ground, and enters a container lying at rest on its side, as shown in the diagram
below. The mass of the container is 0,20 kg.

The ball is stuck in the container after the collision. The ball and container now move together along a straight line
towards the east. Ignore friction and rotational effects.

14.1 State the principle of conservation of linear momentum in words. (2)

14.2 Calculate the magnitude of the velocity of the ball-container system immediately after the collision. (4)
14.3 Determine, by means of a suitable calculation, whether the collision between the ball and container is
elastic or inelastic. (5)
[11]

Terms, definitions, questions & answers © Free State Department of Education

Physical Sciences P1 (Physics) Gr 12 22 FS / January 2021

QUESTION 15
A bullet moves east at a velocity of 480 m∙s-1. It hits a wooden block that is fixed to the floor. The bullet takes
0,01 s to move through the stationary block and emerges from the block at a velocity of 80 m∙s-1 east.
See the diagram below. Ignore the effects of air resistance. Consider the block-bullet system as an isolated
system.

15.1 Explain what is meant by an isolated system as used in Physics. (2)

The magnitude of the momentum of the bullet before it enters the block is 24 kg∙m∙s-1.
15.2 Calcualte the:
15.2.1 Mass of the bullet (3)
15.2.2 Average net force exerted by the wooden block on the bullet (5)
[10]
QUESTION 16
Ball P of mass 0,16 kg, moving east at a speed of 10 m∙s-1, collides head-on with another ball Q of mass 0,2 kg,
moving west at a speed of 15 m∙s-1. After the collision, ball P moves west at a speed of 5 m∙s-1, as shown in the
diagram below. Ignore the effects of friction and the rotational effects of the balls.

16.1 Define the term momentum in words. (2)

16.2 Calculate the:
16.2.1 Velocity of ball Q after the collision (5)
16.2.2 Magnitude of the impulse on ball P during the collision (3)
[10]

Terms, definitions, questions & answers © Free State Department of Education