Physics I

Class 06

Conservation of Momentum

Rev. 14-Jan-06 GB
06-1
 What is a System of Objects?

The universe is too large to include all of it

in an experiment. We can only concentrate
our attention on a small part. If we do
things right, we can select a small group of
interacting objects in such a way that the
phenomenon we want to study is not
significantly influenced by anything else.
How to “do things right” is the tricky part.

A “system of objects” is a subset of the universe

that we have selected to study a phenomenon.

06-2
 Internal and External Forces

Our system here consists of Objects A and B.

Forces between A and B are internal forces.
Forces on A or B from sources outside the system are external forces.
If we change the definition of the system, could that affect which forces
are internal and which are external?

F on A from C F on B from C
External Forces

F on A from B F on B from A
Object A Internal Forces Object B

06-3
 The Momentum of a System

T h e m o m e n tu m o f a s y s te m is th e s u m o f a ll th e in d iv id u a l p a rts :
 N

P  
i1
pi

N e w to n ’s S e c o n d L a w fo r e a c h o b je c t:
 
 d pi
F net ,i  m iai 
d t
N e w to n ’s S e c o n d L a w fo r th e s y s te m :
 
d P N
d pi N  
d t
  i1 d t
 
i1
F net ,i  
all system
F

06-4
 Cancellation of Internal Forces

S o m e fo rc e s in a s y s te m a re in te r n a l, s o m e a re e x te r n a l.
  

all system
F   F int   F ext

T h e in te rn a l fo rc e s a re a ll in N e w to n ’s T h ird L a w P a irs
w ith in th e s y s te m , s o th e y s u m e x a c tly to z e r o in th e s y s te m .
  

all system
F  0   F ext   F ext

06-5
 Conservation of Momentum
(in a Nutshell)

O
nlyex
tern
alfo
rcescanch
ang
eth
emo
m en
tumo
fasy
stem
.

dP 
F
ext
dt
Ifth
eex ternalforcescancela n
d /orcanb
en eglected,thenm omentu
m
isconstan t(zerotimed eriv
ative),orasphy
sicistssay,conserved
.

dP
0
dt

06-6
 One-Dimensional Example
Two Carts on a Track
Two objects are initially at rest, P = 0.

The objects spring apart; the spring force is internal to the system.
After the spring pushes them apart, because P is conserved:

p1 p2
Pafter  Pbefore
P  p1  p 2  0  m 1v1  m 2 v 2
m 1v1   m 2 v 2
06-7
 Conservation of Momentum in
Multiple Dimensions
 Each direction of motion is independent.
 Conservation of momentum occurs (or not) separately in each direction.
d Px
dt
 F ext , x

d Py
dt
 F ext , y

d Pz
dt
 F ext , z

06-8
 Collisions in Multiple Dimensions

B e fo re : A fte r:
P x , before  m 1 v 1 , x , before  m 2v 2 , x , before P x , after  m 1 v 1 , x , after  m 2 v 2 , x , after

P y , before  m 1 v 1 , y , before  m 2v 2 , y , before P y , after  m 1 v 1 , y , after  m 2 v 2 , y , after

06-9
 Solving Multi-Dimensional
Two-Body Collision Problems
T h a t s o u n d s c o m p lic a te d . E v e n w ith
th e re a re 8 c o m p o n e n ts o f v e lo c ity to
H o w e v e r:
 M o m e n tu m is c o n s e rv e d (o r n o t) in
 C o n s e rv e d d ire c tio n s o f m o m e n tu m
S o a ll w e re a lly n e e d to d o is to s o lv e
o n ly tw o b o d ie s in tw o d im e n s io n s ,
c o n s id e r.
e a c h d ire c tio n s e p a ra te ly .
d o n o t m ix w ith o th e r d ire c tio n s .
tw o o n e -d im e n s io n a l p ro b le m s .

If c o n se rv e d :
m 1v 1 , x , before  m 2 v 2 , x , before  m 1v 1 , x , after  m 2 v 2 , x , after

m 1v 1 , y , before  m 2 v 2 , y , before  m 1v 1 , y , after  m 2 v 2 , y , after

06-10
 Center of Mass

C e n te r o f m a s s d e fin e d fo r a s y s te m :
N
M  m
i 1
i

N
1
x cm 
M
m
i 1
i xi
N
1
y cm 
M
m
i 1
i yi

06-11
 Center of Mass
Example
Y

1
6 m = 4 kg x cm  4  2  2  8   4
4 2
center of mass
1 2
y cm  4  6  2  2   4
2 m = 2 kg 4 2 3

X
2 8

06-12
 Velocity of the Center of Mass
System Momentum
V e lo c i ty o f c e n t e r o f m a s s :
 N  N N
 d x cm 1 d xi 1  1 
v cm 
dt

M
i1
mi
dt

M
i1
m iv i 
M

i1
pi

 1 N
 P  
v cm 
M
i1
pi 
M
or P  M v cm

I f t h e m o m e n t u m o f a s y s t e m i s c o n s e r v e d ( c o n s t a n t) ,
s o i s th e v e l o c i ty o f th e c e n t e r o f m a s s .

06-13
 Class #6
Take-Away Concepts (Pt. 1)
1. S y s te m s ; in te rn a l/e x te rn a l fo rc e s in s y s te m s .
2. M o m e n tu m d e fin e d fo r a s y s te m :
 N

P  i1
p i

3. N e w t o n ’ s S e c o n d L a w f o r a s y s t e m :
d P 
  F ext
d t
4. C o n s e r v a t i o n o f m o m e n t u m w h e n
d P 
  F ext  0
d t
P after  P before

06-14
 Class #6
Take-Away Concepts (Pt. 2)

5. M o m e n t u m i s c o n s e r v e d ( o r n o t) s e p a r a te ly f o r e a c h d i r e c ti o n
i f F e x t f o r t h a t d i r e c ti o n is n e g l i g i b l e ( o r n o t ) .
6. C o n s e r v e d c o m p o n e n t s o f m o m e n t u m d o n o t m ix w i t h e a c h
o th e r.
7. C e n te r o f m a s s d e fin e d (x e q u a tio n fo r e x a m p le ):
N
1
x cm 
M
i1
m ix i

8. V e lo c ity o f th e c e n te r o f m a s s a n d s y s te m m o m e n tu m :
 
P  M v cm

06-15
 Class #6
Problems of the Day
___ 1. In the figure below, penguin A is at the right edge of a uniform sled which
lies on the frictionless ice of a frozen lake, initially at rest. Penguin A sees
penguin B on the shore of the lake, and waddles to the left edge of the sled to
get closer, as indicated by the arrow.

While penguin A is waddling from the right edge to the left edge of the sled,
the center of mass of the system made up of penguin A and the sled
A. is moving toward the shore.
B. is moving away from the shore.
C. remains the same distance from shore.
D. could go either way, depending on the masses of the penguin and the sled.
E. who cares, they are only penguins.

06-16
 Class #6
Problems of the Day

2. A hockey puck sliding on frictionless ice (the best kind) collides

with a second puck that is initially at rest. Both pucks have the same
mass. Define the +X direction as the direction of the initial velocity
of the first puck and +Y as 90º counter-clockwise from +X. After
the collision, the first puck has a velocity of 2.0 m/s in a direction
30º counter-clockwise from +X. What is the Y component of the
velocity of the second puck? (include + or – sign)

06-17
 Activity #6 - Conservation of
Momentum in Two Dimensions

Objectives of the Activity:

1. Use LoggerPro-3 and a video clip to study conservation of

momentum for a two-object system in two dimensions.
2. Practice calculating and understanding the center of mass.
3. Practice solving two-dimensional conservation of momentum
problems.

06-18