4b Momentum

Candidates should be able to:

Understand the relation between force and momentum.

Understand the principle of conservation of momentum.

Apply the principle of conservation of momentum to solve problems.

Differentiate between inelastic and elastic collisions in terms of the kinetic

energy exchange and conservation of momentum.

Definitions
Momentum Momentum of a particle is the product of its mass and velocity.

Refers to the certain amount of force applied for a certain period of time
Impulse
to cause a change in momentum.

Elastic Collision A type of collision during which Kinetic Energy is conserved

Inelastic
A type of collision during which Kinetic Energy is not conserved
Collision

4b.1 Linear Momentum

4b.1.1 Linear momentum and forces
Linear Momentum (p) of an object, a vector quantity, is the product of the
mass (m) and velocity (v) of the object:

p = m v

4b Momentum 1
 Since a resultant force produces an acceleration which then changes velocity,
the linear momentum of an object remains constant if there is no external net
force applied on it.

Using the second law of motion, the force applied to an object can be related
to its momentum.

Since acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, we can relate the force
applied to an object to the rate of change of its momentum such that:
p − pi
F= Δp
= f t = mv−mu
= m (v−u) = m a
​ ​

Δt t t
​ ​ ​ ​

Therefore, the Newton’s second law of motion can be stated as: a resultant
force on an object is proportional to the rate of change of its momentum.

Since a net external force changes momentum, if there is no net force acting
on a system the overall momentum of the system is conserved.

4b.2 Conservation of Momentum

4b.2.1 Principles of conservation of momentum
The total momentum of a system remains unchanged in an isolated system.
An isolated system is a system in which there is no external force acting on it.

Consider two particles in an isolated system:

If particle Aexerts a force on particle B, according to the third equation of

motion particle Bexerts an equal and opposite force on particle A.

Since the force is equal and opposite, the change in momentum is also equal
and opposite therefore the total momentum remains unchanged:

(T otal Momentum) = Δ(Momentum A) + Δ(Momentum B)

Thus, the principle of conservation of momentum states that if there is no
external resultant force on a system, the total momentum of the system is
conserved (remains constant).

4b Momentum 2
 m1 u1 + m2 u2 = m1 v1 + m2 v2 
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

4b.2.2 Collisions
Collisions can be used to understand and apply the concept of conservation of
momentum.

Consider 2 balls, in an isolated system, colliding directly head-on:

The mass of each of the balls is m.

The initial velocity of the 2 balls is u1 and u2 , and the final velocity of the balls
​

is v1 and v2 .
​ ​

Since momentum is conserved, the initial and final momentum should be equal
such that:

m u1 − m u2 = −m v1 + m v2 
​ ​ ​ ​

The negative signs are present as velocity is a vector quantity; the negative
sign indicates movement in the left direction.

The balls must move along the same plane to apply the above equations;
instead resolve the vectors and solve accordingly.

Important Note

4b Momentum 3
 To solve collision questions, it’s a good practice to draw a free-
body diagram indicating momentum before and after collision
and writing momentum equations for each. The negative sign
with velocity shows that the mass move in the opposite
direction.

For example,

A 2kgobject moving with a velocity of 8m/scollides with a 4kgobject moving

with a velocity of 5m/salong the same line. If the two objects join together on
impact calculate their common velocity.

If the masses stick together, they share a common final

velocity.

Since v1 = v2 = v, using the conservation of momentum equation,

​ ​

m1 u1 + m2 u2 = m1 v + m2 v
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

So,

2(8) + 4(5) = (2 + 4)v

v = 6m/s

4b Momentum 4
 4b.2.3 Impulse
Since force is equal to the rate of change of momentum such that:
ΔP
F= Δt

​

Change in momentum can be written as:

Δp = F • Δt
Therefore, change in momentum is equivalent to the Impulse of an object.

Impulse can be used to understand that momentum can also have the units
N s.
Area under the forcevs
 timegraph gives the impulse.

4b.2.4 Elastic and inelastic collisions

4b Momentum 5
 Total energy and momentum are always conserved in all collisions in an
isolated system.

However, in some collisions the Kinetic Energy is also conserved such that
the kinetic energy before and after collision are equal.

In such circumstances, there is no energy loss as heat or sound energy;

during collision some energy is converted to elastic energy, however all of this
is converted back to kinetic energy after collision.

The collisions in which both momentum and kinetic energy is conserved are
known as Elastic Collisions and can be presented as:
1
u2
2m 1
​ ​ + 12 mu22 =
​  12 mv12 + 12 mv22 
​ ​ ​ ​ ​

From this we can derive the equation, i.e., for a perfectly elastic collision
speed of approach is equal to the relative speed of separation.

u1 + u2 = v1 + v2 
​ ​ ​ ​

Collisions in which kinetic energy is not conserved are known as Inelastic

Collisions.

Note that when there is an external force acting on a system, the principle of
conservation of momentum no longer holds.

4b Momentum 6
 Skill Check 1
A particle of mass mcollides with a similar particle (of mass m) in an
isolated system such that the collision is perfectly elastic. After colliding, the
particles move off at angles β and ϕ. State the equations that relate:

the xcomponents of the momentum of the particles.

the y components of the momentum of the particles.

the kinetic energy of particles.

Solution

In an isolated system momentum is conserved such that the momentum

before and after collision is equal. However, since momentum is a vector
quantity its direction is important. Therefore, we can only compare
momentum values along the same plane; to do this, resolve the vectors
after collision into vertical and horizontal components, and equate them
to the vertical and horizontal components before collision.

1. Before collision (initial momentum): pi ​ = m u

2. After collision (final momentum): pf = m v1 cosϕ+ m v2 cosβ 
​ ​ ​

Since momentum is conserved, the momentum before and after the

collision is equal; the answer comes out to be:
Pi = Pf 
​ ​

m u = m v1 cosϕ + m v2 cosβ 
​ ​

Solve this part in a similar fashion by determining the vertical

components of v1 and v2 
​ ​

The initial momentum however will be 0 as there is no vertical

component to the initial velocity.
The answer comes out to be:

0 = m v1 sinϕ − m v2 sinβ 
​ ​

Since the collision is perfectly elastic, kinetic energy is also

conserved. Also, there will not be a need to resolve any vectors as
energy is a scalar quantity; thus, the answer comes out to be:

4b Momentum 7
 1 1 1
2
​ m u2 = 2
​ m v12 +
​

2
​ m v22 
​

Points to Note
Force can also be defined in terms of rate of change of momentum, and
change in momentum is also related to the change in force (impulse).

Total momentum is conserved in an isolated system in both elastic and

inelastic collisions.

All of the kinetic energy is conserved only in perfectly elastic collisions.

Although kinetic energy may or may not be conserved in a collision,

momentum is always conserved.

4b Momentum 8