Momentum-Impulse-Collisions-1 GEN PHY 12

Momentum,
Impulse, and
Collisions
Like kinetic energy, this quantity includes
both mass and velocity; like kinetic energy,
it is a way of characterizing the “quantity of
motion” of an object. It is given the name
momentum (from the Latin word
movimentum, meaning “movement”), and
it is represented by the symbol p.
Unlike kinetic energy, momentum depends
equally on an object’s mass and velocity. For
example, as you will learn when you study
thermodynamics, the average speed of an air
molecule at room temperature is approximately
500 m/s, with an average molecular mass of
6×10−25kg; its momentum is thus:
For comparison, a typical automobile might
have a speed of only 15 m/s, but a mass of
1400 kg, giving it a momentum of
Suppose you apply a force on a free
object for some amount of time. Clearly,
the larger the force, the larger the object’s
change of momentum will be.
Alternatively, the more time you spend
applying this force, again the larger the
change of momentum will be, as depicted
in the Figure.
The amount by which the object’s motion

changes is therefore proportional to the
magnitude of the force, and also to the
time interval over which the force is
applied.
Mathematically, if a quantity is proportional
to two (or more) things, then it is
proportional to the product of those things.
The product of a force and a time interval
(over which that force acts) is called
impulse, and is given the symbol J⃗ .
A car traveling at 27 m/s collides with a
building. The driver, who weighs 860 N,
is protected by a combination of a
variable-tension seatbelt and an airbag.
The airbag and seatbelt slow his
velocity, such that he comes to a stop in
approximately 2.5 s.
a. What average force does the driver

experience during the collision?
b. Without the seatbelt and airbag, his
collision time (with the steering wheel)
would have been approximately 0.20 s.
What force would he experience in this
case?
We need to convert this
weight to the equivalent
mass, expressed in SI units:
We need to convert this weight to
the equivalent mass,
exRemembering that Δv⃗ =v⃗ f−v⃗ i,
and noting that the final velocity is
zero, we solve for the
force:pressed in SI units:
a.
b. Same calculation, just the
different time interval:
IMPULSE-MOMENTUM THEOREM
Since an impulse is a force acting for

some amount of time, it causes an
object’s motion to change.
EXAMPLE:
When Captain Picard commands, “Take

us out,” the starship Enterprise (2 x 10^9
kg) starts from rest to a final speed of
vf=7.5×10^7m/s. Assuming this
maneuver is completed in 60 s, what
average force did the impulse engines
apply to the ship?
Momentum and Force
EXAMPLE:
During the 2007 French Open, Venus
Williams hit the fastest recorded serve in
a premier women’s match, reaching a
speed of 58 m/s (209 km/h). What is the
average force exerted on the 0.057-kg
tennis ball racquet? Assume that the
ball’s speed just after impact is 58 m/s,
that the initial horizontal component of the
velocity before impact is negligible, and
that the ball remained in contact with the
racquet for 5.0 ms.
TRY THESE:
1. A typical airplane might have a speed

of only 250 m/s, but a mass of 183,520
kg, giving it a momentum of:
2. The starship Enterprise (2 x 10^9 kg)

starts from rest to a final speed of
vf=13.5×10^7m/s. Assuming this
maneuver is completed in 58 s, what
average force did the impulse engines
apply to the ship?
TRY THESE:
3. A tennis player hits the serve in a

premier women’s match, reaching a
speed of 44.9 m/s. What is the average
force exerted on the 0.068-kg tennis ball
racquet? Assume that the ball’s speed
just after impact is 44.9 m/s, that the
initial horizontal component of the
velocity before impact is negligible, and
that the ball remained in contact with the
racquet for 3.3.0 m/s.
TRY THESE:
4. A car traveling at 58.6 m/s collides with
a building. The driver, who weighs 747 N,
is protected by a combination of a
variable-tension seatbelt and an airbag.
The airbag and seatbelt slow his velocity,
such that he comes to a stop in
approximately 3.8 s.
a. What average force does the driver

experience during the collision?
b. Without the seatbelt and airbag, his
collision time (with the steering wheel)
would have been approximately 0.17 s.
What force would he experience in this
case?

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Momentum,

The amount by which the object’s motion

a. What average force does the driver

Since an impulse is a force acting for

When Captain Picard commands, “Take

1. A typical airplane might have a speed

2. The starship Enterprise (2 x 10^9 kg)

3. A tennis player hits the serve in a

a. What average force does the driver

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