GUIPOS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Pob. Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur

WORKSHEET IN SCIENCE 9
Quarter 4 – Week 4

Name of Learner: ________________________________ Grade & Section: _____________ Date: ________

A. Topic: CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM

B. MELCS with Code: Infer that the total momentum before and after collision is equal.
(S9FE-IVb-37)
C. Week Number: Quarter 4 – Week 4
D. Objectives: After going through this module, you are expected to:
a) Describe how momentum is conserved;
b) Differentiate Elastic Collision from Inelastic collision; and
c) Relate the effects of collisions in real-life situations.
E. Background Information:

CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM
According to physics general law, the quantity called momentum that characterizes motion never
changes in an isolated collection of objects; that is, the systems total momentum remains constant. Thus, for
an isolated system, the total momentum before interaction equals the total momentum after interactions. This
statement is called conservation of momentum.
Momentum is the mass and velocity product and is equivalent to the force required to bring the object
to a stop. For an array of several things, the total momentum is the sum of the individual momenta. Momentum
is a vector quantity, involving both the direction and the magnitude of motion. The rates of the bodies going in
opposite directions can cancel to yield an overall sum of zero.

Refer to figure 3 as an example. The two children on

skateboards are initially at rest. As they push each other
the boy moves eventually to the right while the girl moves
in the opposite direction away from each other. Newton’s
Third Law of Motion which states that the force exerted by
the girl on the boy and the force that makes the girl move
in the other direction are of equal magnitude but opposite
direction. The boy and the girl make up a system – a
collection of objects that affect one another (Figure 2). No
net/unbalanced external force acts on the boy-girl system,
thus, the total momentum of the system does not change (Figure 4). Remember that
momentum, like velocity and force, is a vector quantity. The momentum gained by the girl is of
equal magnitude but opposite direction to the momentum gained by the boy. In this system, no
momentum is gained or lost. We can say that momentum is conserved.

Example 1a
Two ice skaters stand together as shown in Figure 4. They boy pushes the girl
with a velocity of 1.50 m/s. Similarly, the girl pushes the boy in opposite direction. If the
boy weighs 784 N and the girl, 490 N, what is the girl’s velocity after they push off? (The
ice is considered to be frictionless.)

Solution:
W = mg, thus, m = W/g (Use g = 9.8 m/s2)
Mass Velocity
Boy 80.00 kg 1.5 m/s
Girl 50.0 kg ?

There is no external force present; hence, the ice where they stand on is considered to be frictionless.
The momentum of the boy-girl system is conserved. There is no change in the momentum of the system
before and after the push- off.
Example 1b
Two ice skaters stand together. They boy pushes the girl with a speed of +0.50 m/s and the girl pushes the boy
in opposite direction with a speed of -0.65 m/s. If the mass of the boy is 50 kg, what is the girl’s mass?
(Consider the ice to be frictionless.)

Solution:
The momentum of the boy-girl system is conserved. There is no change in the momentum of the system
before and after the push off.

Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

A collision is an interaction between two objects resulting in the exchange of impulse and momentum.
The time of impact is usually small; the impulse provided by external forces like friction during this time is
negligible. When two or more bodies collide, the momentum of the system is therefore approximately
conserved. In an isolated system, the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum of
the system after the collision.
total momentum before collision = total momentum after collision
There are two types of collisions and are categorized according to whether the system’s total kinetic
energy changes. It may or may not be conserved depending on the type of collision. It may lose during
collisions when (1) it is converted to heat or other forms like binding energy, sound, light (if there is spark), etc.
and (2) it is spent in producing deformation or damage, such as when two cars collide.
The two types of collision are:
1. Elastic collision – states that the system’s total kinetic energy does not change and colliding objects
bounce off after collision. (no kinetic energy is loss, no damage, no heat)
Examples:
 Motion of atoms and molecules
 Hitting billiard balls
 When a soccer player kicks a ball since the player’s foot and the ball do indeed remain
completely separate after collision.
Equation:
total momentum before collision = total momentum after collision
(m1v1 + m2v2)before = (m1v1+ m2v2)after

2. Inelastic collision – states that the system’s total kinetic energy changes (i.e., converted to some other
form of energy). Collision is said to be perfectly inelastic if after collision the objects stick together and
move as one mass with one velocity.
Examples:
- Celestial bodies collide, like two asteroids, they fuse together to form a larger body.
Equation:
Total momentum before collision= total momentum after collision
(m1v1 + m2v2) before = (m1+m2)v after

Example 2
A 300 g bicycle moves on an air track at 1.2 m/s. It collides with and sticks to another bike of mass 500
g, which was stationary before collision. What is the velocity of the combined bikes after collision?
Solution
Convert the unit of mass in grams to kg. (1kg = 1000g)
Mass Velocity
(before collision)
bicycle 1 0.30 kg 1.2 m/s
bicycle 2 0.50 kg 0
The total momentum of the system is conserved before and after the collision.

ACTIVITIES:
Activity 1: Complete Me!
Directions: Complete the statements below with the correct words.
1. Conservation of momentum states that the total momentum before collision is _______________ to the
total momentum after collision.
2. In elastic collision, colliding objects_________________ off after collision.
3. Bodies that stick together after collision is said to be ___________________collision.
4. When momentum is neither gained nor lost, we say that momentum is ______________________.
5. Equation of inelastic collision is ( m1v1 + m2v2) before = (________________)v after.

Activity 2: Calculate Me!

Directions: Fill out the blanks and calculate what is asked in the problem. Show computations on the space
provided below the problem.
1. A 250 g grocery cart moves on air track at 1.5 m/s. It collides with and sticks to another grocery cart of
mass 450 g, which was stationary before collision. What is the velocity of the combined carts after
collision?
Mass Velocity
Grocery Cart 1
Grocery Cart 2

(Write your solution here in the box.)