Momentum

Momentum
• From Newton’s laws: force must be present to change an
object’s velocity (speed and/or direction)
 Wish to consider effects of collisions and corresponding
change in velocity
Golf ball initially at rest, so
some of the KE of club
transferred to provide motion
of golf ball and its change in
velocity

 Method to describe is to use concept of linear momentum

Linear momentum = product of mass× velocity

scalar vector
Ek = mv
1
2
2

dEk
= mv
dv
∫ mvdv = mv − mv
1 2 1 2
2 b 2 a
Momentum

p = mv

• Vector quantity, the direction of the momentum is the

same as the velocity’s
• Applies to two-dimensional motion as well

p x = mv x and p y = mv y

Size of momentum: depends upon mass

depends upon velocity
Impulse

• In order to change the momentum of an object

(say, golf ball), a force must be applied
• The time rate of change of momentum of an
object is equal to the net force acting on it

– ∆ p m(v f − v i )
F net = = = ma or : ∆ p = F net ∆t
∆t ∆t
– Gives an alternative statement of Newton’s second law
– (F Δt) is defined as the impulse
– Impulse is a vector quantity, the direction is the same
as the direction of the force
Graphical Interpretation of Impulse

• Usually force is not constant,

but time-dependent

impulse = ∑ Fi ∆ti = area under F (t ) curve

∆ti

• If the force is not constant,

use the average force
applied
• The average force can be If force is constant: impulse = F ∆ t
thought of as the constant
force that would give the
same impulse to the object
in the time interval as the
actual time-varying force
gives in the interval
Example: Impulse Applied to Auto
Collisions
• The most important factor is the collision time or the
time it takes the person to come to a rest
– This will reduce the chance of dying in a car crash
• Ways to increase the time
– Seat belts
– Air bags

 The air bag increases the time of the collision and

absorbs some of the energy from the
body
ConcepTest
Suppose a ping-pong ball and a bowling ball are rolling toward
you. Both have the same momentum, and you exert the same
force to stop each. How do the time intervals to stop them
compare?

1. It takes less time to stop the ping-pong ball.

2. Both take the same time.
3. It takes more time to stop the ping-pong ball.
Answer
Suppose a ping-pong ball and a bowling ball are rolling toward
you. Both have the same momentum, and you exert the same
force to stop each. How do the time intervals to stop them
compare?

1. It takes less time to stop the ping-pong ball.

2. Both take the same time. 
3. It takes more time to stop the ping-pong ball.

Note: Because force equals the time rate of change of

momentum, the two balls loose momentum at the same
rate. If both balls initially had the same momenta, it
takes the same amount of time to stop them.
Problem: Teeing Off

A 50-g golf ball at rest is hit by “Big

Bertha” club with 500-g mass.
After the collision, golf leaves
with velocity of 50 m/s.

a) Find impulse imparted to ball

b) Assuming club in contact with
ball for 0.5 ms, find average force
acting on golf ball
Problem: teeing off

1. Use impulse-momentum relation:

Given:
impulse = ∆p = mv f − mvi
mass: m=50 g = ( 0.050 kg )( 50 m s ) − 0
= 0.050 kg = 2.50 kg ⋅ m s
velocity: v=50 m/s 
2. Having found impulse, find the average
Find: force from the definition of impulse:

impulse=? ∆p 2.50 kg ⋅ m s
∆p = F ⋅ ∆t , thus F = =
Faverage =? ∆t 0.5 ×10 −3 s
= 5.00 ×103 N 
Note: according to Newton’s 3rd law, that is also a reaction force to club hitting the ball:
of club
F ⋅ ∆t = − F R ⋅ ∆t , or
( )
mv f − mv i = − M V f − M V i , or
mv f + M V f = mv i + M V i CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM
Conservation of Momentum
• Definition: an isolated system is the one that has no
external forces acting on it

Momentum in an isolated system in

which a
collision occurs is conserved (regardless
of the nature of the forces between the
– Aobjects)
collision may be the result of physical contact between two
objects
– “Contact” may also arise from the electrostatic interactions of
the electrons in the surface atoms of the bodies
Conservation of Momentum

The principle of conservation of momentum

states when no external forces act on a system
consisting of two objects that collide with each
other, the total momentum of the system before
the collision is equal to the total momentum of
the system after the collision
Conservation of Momentum
• Mathematically: m1 v1i + m2 v 2i = m1 v1 f + m2 v 2 f

– Momentum is conserved for the system of objects

– The system includes all the objects interacting with each
other
– Assumes only internal forces are acting during the collision
– Can be generalized to any number of objects
Problem: Teeing Off (cont.)

Let’s go back to our golf ball and club problem:

Ball : ∆p = 2.50 kg ⋅ m s , m = 50 gramm

∆v = 50 m s
( )
Club : m v f − v i = −2.50 kg ⋅ m s , so

( )
v f − vi =
− 2.50 kg ⋅ m s
0.5 kg
= −5m s

factor of 10 times smaller

ConcepTest
Suppose a person jumps on the surface of Earth. The Earth

1. will not move at all

2. will recoil in the opposite direction with tiny velocity
3. might recoil, but there is not enough information
provided to see if that could happened
ConcepTest
Suppose a person jumps on the surface of Earth. The Earth

1. will not move at all

2. will recoil in the opposite direction with tiny velocity 
3. might recoil, but there is not enough information
provided to see if that could happened

Note: momentum is conserved. Let’s estimate Earth’s velocity after

a jump by a 80-kg person. Suppose that initial speed of the
jump is 4 m/s, then:

Person : ∆p = 320 kg ⋅ m s
Earth : ∆p = M Earth VEarth = −320 kg ⋅ m s , so
− 320 kg ⋅ m s
VEarth = = − 5.3 ×10 −23 m s
6 ×10 kg
24

tiny negligible velocity, in opposite direction

Types of Collisions

• Momentum is conserved in any collision

what about kinetic energy?

• Inelastic collisions
– Kinetic energy is not conserved KE i = KE f + lost energy
• Some of the kinetic energy is converted into other types of
energy such as heat, sound, work to permanently deform
an object
– Perfectly inelastic collisions occur when the objects
stick together
• Not all of the KE is necessarily lost
Perfectly Inelastic Collisions:
• When two objects stick together
after the collision, they have
undergone a perfectly inelastic
collision
• Suppose, for example, v2i=0.
Conservation of momentum
becomes

m1v1i + m2 v2i = (m1 + m2 )v f

m1v1i + 0 = (m1 + m2 )v f
E.g., if m1 = 1000 kg , m2 = 1500 kg :
(1000kg )(50 m s ) + 0 = (2500kg )v f ,
5 ×10 4 kg ⋅ m s
vf = = 20 m s.
2.5 ×10 kg
3
Perfectly Inelastic Collisions:
• What amount of KE lost during
collision?

1 1
KEbefore = m1v12i + m2 v22i
2 2
1
= (1000 kg )(50 m s ) 2 = 1.25 ×10 6 J
2
1
KEafter = (m1 + m2 )v 2f
2
1
= (2500 kg )(20 m s ) 2 = 0.50 ×10 6 J
2

∆KElost = 0.75 ×10 6 J

lost in heat/”gluing”/sound/…
More Types of Collisions

• Elastic collisions
– both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved
• Actual collisions
– Most collisions fall between elastic and perfectly
inelastic collisions
More About Elastic Collisions

• Both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved

• Typically have two unknowns

m1v1i + m2 v2i = m1v1 f + m2 v2 f

1 1 1 1
m1v1i + m2 v2i = m1v1 f + m2 v22 f
2 2 2

2 2 2 2

• Solve the equations simultaneously

Elastic Collisions:
• Using previous example
(but elastic collision is
assumed)
P before = m1 v1i + m1 v 2i
= (1000 kg )(50 m s ) + (1500 kg )(−20 m s )
= 2.0 × 10 4 kg ⋅ m s
1 1
KEbefore = m1v12i + m2 v22i
2 2
= 1.25 × 106 J + 3 × 105 J
= 1.55 × 106 J
For perfectly elastic collision:
2.0 ×10 4 kg ⋅ m s = −m1v1 f + m2 v2 f
v1 f = −26.7 m s
1 1
1.55 ×106 J = m1v12f + m2 v22 f v2 f = +31.1 m s
2 2
Problem Solving for One -Dimensional
Collisions
• Set up a coordinate axis and define the
velocities with respect to this axis
– It is convenient to make your axis coincide with one
of the initial velocities
• In your sketch, draw all the velocity vectors with
labels including all the given information
Sketches for Collision Problems
• Draw “before” and “after”
sketches
• Label each object
– include the direction of
velocity
– keep track of subscripts
Sketches for Perfectly Inelastic
Collisions
• The objects stick
together
• Include all the velocity
directions
• The “after” collision
combines the masses
Problem Solving for One-Dimensional
Collisions, cont.

• Write the expressions for the

momentum of each object before and
after the collision
– Remember to include the appropriate signs
• Write an expression for the total
momentum before and after the
collision
– Remember the momentum of the system is
what is conserved
Problem Solving for One-Dimensional
Collisions, final
• If the collision is inelastic, solve the momentum
equation for the unknown
– Remember, KE is not conserved
• If the collision is elastic, you can use the KE
equation to solve for two unknowns
Glancing Collisions
• For a general collision of two objects in three-
dimensional space, the conservation of
momentum principle implies that the total
momentum of the system in each direction is
conserved
m1v1ix + m2 v2ix = m1v1 fx + m2 v2 fx and
–
m1v1iy + m2 v2iy = m1v1 fy + m2 v2 fy
– Use subscripts for identifying the object, initial and
final, and components
Glancing Collisions

• The “after” velocities have x and y

components
• Momentum is conserved in the x direction
and in the y direction
• Apply separately to each direction
Problem Solving for Two-Dimensional
Collisions
• Set up coordinate axes and define your
velocities with respect to these axes
– It is convenient to choose the x axis to coincide with
one of the initial velocities
• In your sketch, draw and label all the velocities
and include all the given information
Problem Solving for Two-Dimensional
Collisions, cont
• Write expressions for the x and y components
of the momentum of each object before and
after the collision
• Write expressions for the total momentum
before and after the collision in the x-direction
– Repeat for the y-direction
Problem Solving for Two-Dimensional
Collisions, final
• Solve for the unknown quantities
– If the collision is inelastic, additional information is
probably required
– If the collision is perfectly inelastic, the final
velocities of the two objects is the same
– If the collision is elastic, use the KE equations to
help solve for the unknowns
Contoh masalah
• Seorang astronout dengan massa 80Kg melemparkan kunci
pas dengan kecepatan 3 m/s. Tentukan kecepatan astronout
yang terpental setelah melemparkan kunci pas. Sebarapa
jauhkah astronout bersangkutan terpisahd ari pesawat dalam
selang 1 jam ?
Contoh masalah 2
• Sebuah mobil dengan massa 1300kg bertabrakan dengan
sebuah truk bermuatan dengan massa 15000kg di perempatan
jalan. Setelah tubrukan mobil dan truk menjadi satu dan
bergeser sejauh 5 m membentuk sudut 30O terhadap arah
gerak mobil. Jika koefisien gesekan statiknya sebesar 0.7,
berakah kecepatan awal masing-masing kendaraan ?
Truk

Mobil

30O
Rocket Propulsion
• The operation of a rocket depends on the law
of conservation of momentum as applied to a
system, where the system is the rocket plus its
ejected fuel
– This is different than propulsion on the earth where
two objects exert forces on each other
• road on car
• train on track
Rocket Propulsion, cont.

• The rocket is accelerated as a result of the

thrust of the exhaust gases
• This represents the inverse of an inelastic
collision
– Momentum is conserved
– Kinetic Energy is increased (at the expense of the
stored energy of the rocket fuel)
Rocket Propulsion

• The initial mass of the rocket is M + Δm

– M is the mass of the rocket
– m is the mass of the fuel
• The initial velocity of the rocket is v
Rocket Propulsion

• The rocket’s mass is M

• The mass of the fuel, Δm, has been ejected
• The rocket’s speed has increased to v + Δv
Thrust of a Rocket
• The thrust is the force exerted on the rocket by
the ejected exhaust gases
• The instantaneous thrust is given by
∆v ∆M
Ma = M = ve
∆t ∆t
– The thrust increases as the exhaust speed
increases and as the burn rate (ΔM/Δt) increases