Chapter 8

Momentum, Impulse,
and Collisions
PowerPoint® Lectures for
University Physics, Thirteenth Edition
– Hugh D. Young and Roger A. Freedman

Lectures by Wayne Anderson

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.
Reading Question 9.2

Impulse is

A. A force that is applied at a random time.

B. A force that is applied very suddenly.
C. The area under the force curve in a
force-versus-time graph.
D. The time interval that a force lasts.

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Reading Question 9.2

Impulse is

A. A force that is applied at a random time.

B. A force that is applied very suddenly.
C. The area under the force curve in a
force-versus-time graph.
D. The time interval that a force lasts.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-13

 Momentum and Impulse

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-20

 Momentum
Momentum

 Momentum is a vector, with units of kg m/s.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-21

QuickCheck 9.1

The cart’s change of

momentum px is

A. –20 kg m/s.
B. –10 kg m/s.
C. 0 kg m/s.
D. 10 kg m/s.
E. 30 kg m/s.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-22

Collisions

 A collision is a short-duration interaction between two

objects.

 It takes time to compress the ball, and more time for

the ball to re-expand as it leaves the racket.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-24

Impulse During a Collision

 A large force exerted

for a small interval of
time is called an
impulsive force.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-26

Impulse

 Units = N.s =kg.m/s

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-27
Impulse

 The impulse exerted

during the collision is:

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-28

What magnitude impulse will give a 2.0-kg object a
momentum change of magnitude + 50 kg • m/s.

A. + 25 N · s
B. – 25 N · s
C. + 50 N · s
D. – 50 N · s
E. + 100 N · s
A 2.5-kg stone is released from rest and falls toward
earth. After 4.0 s, the magnitude of its momentum is:
(use g=10 m/s2)

A. 100 kg · m/s
B. 80 kg · m/s
C. 40 kg · m/s
D. 25 kg · m/s
The Impulse-Momentum Theorem

• The impulse-momentum theorem states that an impulse

delivered to an object causes the object’s momentum to
change.

• Impulse can be written in terms of its x- and y-components:

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-13

The Impulse-Momentum Theorem

 Impulse and Momentum point in the same direction

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The Impulse-Momentum Theorem

 Impulse and Momentum point in the same direction

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The Impulse-Momentum Theorem

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The Impulse-Momentum Theorem

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 Class Problem:
Finding the impulse on a bouncing ball
A rubber ball experiences the
force shown in figure
as it bounces off the floor.

a. What is the impulse on the

ball?
b. What is the average force
on the ball?

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-18

a. The impulse is

b. Using J = Favg ∆t, we can find

the average force that
would give this same impulse:

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-19

QuickCheck 9.6
Two 1.0 kg stationary cue balls are struck by cue sticks.
The cues exert the forces shown. Which ball has the
greater final speed?

A. Ball 1.
B. Ball 2.
C. Both balls have the same final speed.

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QuickCheck 9.2

A 2.0 kg object moving to the

right with speed 0.50 m/s
experiences the force shown.
What are the object’s speed and
direction after the force ends?

A. 0.50 m/s left.

B. At rest.
C. 0.50 m/s right.
D. 1.0 m/s right.
E. 2.0 m/s right.

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 Problem: Force in hitting a baseball

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-22

 Problem: Force in hitting a baseball
A 150 g baseball is thrown with a
speed of 20 m/s. It is hit straight
back toward the pitcher at a speed
of 40 m/s. The impulsive force of
the bat on the ball has the shape
shown in FIGURE. What is
the maximum force Fmax that the
bat exerts on the ball? What is the
average force that the bat exerts
on the ball?

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-23

 Problem: Force in hitting a baseball (cont.)
PREPARE We can model the
interaction as a collision.

Because Fx is positive
(a force to the right), we know the
ball was initially moving toward
the left and is hit back toward the right. Thus we converted
the statements about speeds into information about
velocities, with (vx)i negative.

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 Problem: Force in hitting a baseball

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-25

 Problem: Force in hitting a baseball (cont.)

Use the impulse-momentum theorem:

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 Problem: Force in hitting a baseball (cont.)

According to the impulse-momentum

theorem, ∆px = Jx

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-27

 Problem: Force in hitting a baseball (cont.)
Thus the maximum force is

and the average force is

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-28

A stream of gas consists of n molecules. Each molecule has
mass m and speed v. The stream is reflected elastically
from a rigid surface as shown. The magnitude of the
change in the total momentum of the stream is:

A. 2mnv
B. 2mnv sin 30°
C. mnv sin 30°
D. mnv cos 30°
E. mnv
Example Problem
A 500 kg rocket sled is coasting at 20 m/s. It then turns on
its rocket engines for 5.0 s, with a thrust of 1000 N. What is
its final speed?

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-30

 Conservation of Momentum

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-20

Reading Question 9.4

The total momentum of a system is

conserved

A. Always.
B. If the system is isolated.
C. If the forces are conservative.
D. Never; it’s just an approximation.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-16

Reading Question 9.4

The total momentum of a system is

conserved

A. Always.
B. If the system is isolated.
C. If the forces are conservative.
D. Never; it’s just an approximation.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-17

 Linear Momentum and Collisions

 When a collision takes place in, for example, a

game of football, the momentum is conserved.
Law of Conservation of Momentum

 An isolated system is a system for which the net

external force is zero:

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Law of Conservation of Momentum
• Since momentum is a vector, we can rewrite the law of
conservation of momentum for an isolated system:

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-36

A rifle of mass M is initially at rest. A bullet of mass m is
fired from the rifle with a velocity v relative to the ground.
Which one of the following expressions gives the velocity of
the rifle relative to the ground after the bullet is fired.

A. mv
B. mv
C. Mv/m
D. mv/M
 Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-20

Reading Question 9.5

In an inelastic collision,

A. Impulse is conserved.
B. Momentum is conserved.
C. Force is conserved.
D. Energy is conserved.
E. Elasticity is conserved.

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Reading Question 9.5

In an inelastic collision,

A. Impulse is conserved.
B. Momentum is conserved.
C. Force is conserved.
D. Energy is conserved.
E. Elasticity is conserved.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-19

 Elastic Collisions

 An elastic collision is one that conserves

momentum and kinetic energy.
 Inelastic Collision
 Inelastic collisions conserve momentum but not
kinetic energy.
 Inelastic collisions in 1-D

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 Inelastic collisions in 1-D

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

 Inelastic collisions in 1-D

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

 Inelastic collisions in 1-D

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

 Completely Inelastic collision in 1-D

 The target is initially at rest

(v2i=0)

 After collision they both move

together with velocity V.

 Law of conservation of
momentum gives

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

QuickCheck 9.9

The 1 kg box is sliding along a frictionless

surface. It collides with and
sticks to the 2 kg box.
Afterward, the speed of
the two boxes is

A. 0 m/s.
B. 1 m/s.
C. 2 m/s.
D. 3 m/s.
E. There’s not enough information to tell.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-70

 Elastic collisions in 1-D

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

 Elastic collisions in 1-D

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

 Elastic collisions in 1-D: Stationary Target

 Momentum and energy conservation yield

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

 Stationary Target: Few special cases

I. Equal masses, m1=m2

II. A massive target, m2>> m1

III. A massive projectile, m1>>m2

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Example Problem
Jack stands at rest on a skateboard. The mass of Jack and the
skateboard together is 75 kg. Ryan throws a 3.0 kg ball
horizontally to the right at 4.0 m/s to Jack, who catches it.
What is the final speed of Jack and the skateboard?

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QuickCheck 9.11

The two boxes are on a frictionless surface.

They had been sitting together at rest, but an
explosion between them has
just pushed them apart. How
fast is the 2 kg box going?

A. 1 m/s.
B. 2 m/s.
C. 4 m/s.
D. 8 m/s.
E. There’s not enough information to tell.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-79

Example Problem
A 10 g bullet is fired into a 1.0 kg wood block, where it
lodges. Subsequently the block slides 4.0 m across a floor
(μk = 0.20 for wood on wood). What was the bullet’s speed?

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-55

 For the collisions shown below, the green ball was initially moving
along the red path while the blue ball was at rest. The two balls
collide and end up with the final velocities shown. Which one of
these collisions is possible? (three of them are not!)

1. car
2. truck
3. The momentum change is the
4. Can't tell without knowing the
5. Not sure.
 Momentum in Two dimensions

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc. Slide 9-20

Momentum in Two Dimensions

 The total momentum

is a vector sum of the
momenta
of the individual particles.

 Momentum is conserved only if each component of

is conserved:

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Problem
• A 20 g ball of clay traveling east at 3.0 m/s collides with a
30 g ball of clay traveling north at 2.0 m/s. What are the
speed and the direction of the resulting 50 g blob of clay?

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Problem
• A 20 g ball of clay traveling east at 3.0 m/s collides with a
30 g ball of clay traveling north at 2.0 m/s. What are the
speed and the direction of the resulting 50 g blob of clay?

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Problem

Use the conservation of momentum equation in the X and Y direction

m1 (v1x )i  m2 (v2x )i  (m1  m2 )(vx )f

m1 (v1 y )i  m2 (v2 y )i  (m1  m2 )(v y )f

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Problem

Let’s first consider the X direction

m1 (v1x )i  m2 (v2x )i  (m1  m2 )(vx )f

(.02 kg)(3.0 m/s)  0 kg  m/s  (.02 kg  .03 kg)vf cos 

 vf cos   1.2 m/s

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Problem

Next consider the Y direction

m1 (v1 y )i  m2 (v2 y )i  (m1  m2 )(v y )f

0 kg m/s  (.03 kg)(2.0 m/s)  (.02 kg  .03 kg)vf sin  

vf sin   1.2 m/s

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-63

Problem

Now find the magnitude of the final

velocity and direction

vf cos   1.2 m/s

vf sin   1.2 m/s 

 vf  (1.2 m/s) 2  (1.2 m/s) 2  1.7 m/s

vy
  tan 1
 tan 1 (1)  45
vx

The ball of clay moves 45 north of east at 1.7 m/s.

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9-64
The Center of Mass
 The Center of Mass

 The center of mass of a system of particles is

the point that moves as though:

1) All of the system’s mass were concentrated

there and

2) All external forces were applied there.

 The Center of Mass (COM)

 The center of mass (black dot) of a baseball bat flipped

into the air follows a parabolic path, but all other points
of the bat follow more complicated curved paths.
 The Center of Mass: A System of Particles

 For a system of masses m1, m2, ….mn, located at x1,

x2, …xn. The location of the center of mass, xcom, is

 M = m1+ m2 + . . . + mn
 COM of A System of Particles

 Two particles of masses m1 and m2 separated by

distance d. The dot labeled com shows the position of
the center of mass, calculated
 COM : A System of Particles

 With the origin shifted, the position of the COM is

calculated from
COM : A System of Particles (3D)
 Center of mass of symmetrical objects

• It is easy to find the center

of mass of a homogeneous
symmetric object, as shown
in Figure 8.28 at the left.

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

The x and y coordinates in meters of the center of mass of the
three-particle system shown below are:

A.0, 0
B.1.3 m, 1.7 m
C.1.4 m, 1.9 m
D.1.9 m, 2.5 m
E.1.4 m, 2.5 m
Newton’s 2nd Law for a System of Particles
 Newton’s 2nd Law for a System of Particles
For a system of n particles,

Differentiate to get velocity and acceleration,

The R.H.S is the vector sum of all the external forces that
act on the system, while the internal forces cancel out by
Newton’s 3rd Law.