IMPULSE &

MOMENTUM

Impulse (J) :
Refers to the product of the force and
the time interval it acts on the body.
J = F(t2 t1) = F(t)
where :
F applied constant force ( in
Newtons)
t time interval (in seconds)
J Impulse ( in Ns)
F
t1

m
t2

Momentum (p) :
Defined as the product of the mass and
the velocity of an object.
p = mv
where :
m mass (kg)
v velocity (m/s)
p momentum (kgm/s)
F
t1

m
t2

Both Momentum & Impulse are vector quantities, thus they have
both horizontal & vertical components. And follow standard sign
conventions
X - component

px = mvx
Y - component

py = mvy
p=

px2 + py2

Jx = Fx(t2 t1) =
Fx(t)
Jy = Fy(t2 t1) =
Fy(t)
J=

Jx2 + Jy2

Relationship between Momentum & Impulse

t1

t2

J = p
Ft = mv2 mv1
The change in momentum at any time interval
equals the impulse of the force applied during that
time interval.

Fxt = mv2x mv1x

Fyt = mv2y mv1y

SAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. A baseball has a mass of 0.2kg.
(a) If the velocity of a pitched ball has a magnitude of 35m/s, and after the
ball is batted the velocity is 55m/s in the opposite direction, find the change
in momentum of the ball and the impulse applied to it by the bat.
(b) If the ball remains in contact with the bat for 2 ms (2x10-3 s), find the
average force applied by the bat.
Given :
Required :
v1 = 35
m/s

m = 0.2 kg
F

v2 = 55
m/s

a. p & J

a) p = mv2 mv1
p = (0.2kg)(+55m/s) (0.2kg)
(-35m/s)
p = 18 kg-m/s
J = p = 18 Ns

b. F by the bat

b) F = ? With t =
2x10-3s
J = Ft
18 Ns = F(2x103
s) Ns/ (2x10-3s) =
18
F
9,000 N = F
F = 9,000 N or 9
kN

SAMPLE PROBLEMS
2. Prob.8-12 ] A bat strikes a 0.145 kg baseball. Just before impact, the ball is
traveling horizontally to the right at 50 m/s, and it leaves the bat traveling to
the left at an angle of 30 above the horizontal with a speed of 65m/s. If the
ball and bat are in contact for 1.75 msec, find the horizontal & vertical
components of the average force on the ball.

x-component : vectors to the right (+)

Fxt = m(v2x v1x)
Fx = m(v2x v1x) / t
Fx = (0.145kg)[(-65m/s)(cos30)
(+50m/s)] / (0.00175 s)
y-component
: vectors going up (+)
F
x = - 8,807 N
Fyt = m(v2y v1y)
Fy = m(v2y v1y) / t
Fy = (0.145kg)[(+65m/s)(sin30) 0] /
(0.00175 s)

v1 = 50 m/s

v2 =

65
m

/s

Fy

30

Fx
F

Fy = +2,692.9 N

SAMPLE PROBLEMS
3. Prob.8-1 ]
(a) What is the magnitude of the momentum of a 10,000 kg truck whose speed
is 12 m/s?
(b) What speed would a 2,000 kg SUV have to attain in order to have
i. The same momentum (as the truck)
ii. The same kinetic energy (as the truck)

CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM
> When two bodies interact only with each other, their
total momentum is constant.
> In an isolated system (one where external forces are
absent) the total momentum will be constant.

Total pbefore = Total pafter

m1v1 + m2v2 = m1u1 +
m2u2
where :
v initial velocities
u final velocities
m1 mass of object 1
m2 mass of object 2

SAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. An open-topped freight car with a mass of 10,000 kg is coasting without friction along a level track. It
is raining very hard, and the rain is falling vertically downward. The car is originally empty and
moving with a speed of 3 m/s. What is the speed of the car after it has traveled long enough to
collect 1,000 kg of rainwater?

Given :
m1 = 10,000
v1 = 3
kg
m/s

Required :ucar
m2 = 1,000
kg u = ?
1

m1v1 + m2v2 = m1u1+m2u2

Let: m1 = mass of freight car = 10,000 kg
m2 = mass of rain water = 1,000 kg

m1v1 + m2v2 = m1u1+m2u2

(10,000 kg)(3m/s )+(0)(0 m/s) = (10,000 kg)u1+(1,000 kg)u2

30,000 kg-m/s = (10,000 kg)u1+(1,000 kg)u2
By logic u1 = u2, since rain water moving along with the car
30,000 kg-m/s = (10,000 kg)u1+(1,000 kg)u1 (30,000 kg-m/s)/11,000kg = u
1
30,000 kg-m/s = u1 (10,000kg+1,000 kg)
2.727 m/s = u1
30,000 kg-m/s = u1 (11,000kg)

SAMPLE PROBLEMS
2. Given :
mA = 1kg

Required :uA

mB = 2 kg

uA = ?

u B = 0.90 m/s

mAvA + mBvB = mAuA+mBuB

(1kg)(0 m/s)+(2kg)(0 m/s) = (1kg)uA+(2kg)(0.9 m/s)
0 = (1kg)uA+1.8kg-m/s
- 1.8 kg-m/s = (1kg)uA
(- 1.8 kg-m/s)/1kg = uA
- 1.8 m/s = uA
uA = 1.8 m/s to the left

ELASTIC & INELASTIC COLLISIONS

ELASTIC & INELASTIC COLLISIONS

COLLISIONS
- Defined as a kind of interaction between two
bodies wherein there is a strong interaction
that last for a relatively short time.
- Usually treated as an isolated system because
the interactive forces are greater than the
external forces (i.e. friction).

ELASTIC & INELASTIC COLLISIONS

TYPES OF COLLISIONS

1. Perfectly Elastic Collision

Before and During
CollisionvA

vB

After Collision
uA

uB
A

ELASTIC & INELASTIC COLLISIONS

TYPES OF COLLISIONS

1. Perfectly Elastic Collision

After collision, the colliding bodies move in
separate direction with respective velocities.
Elastic collisions conserve kinetic energy as well
as total momentum before and after collision.

mAvA + mBvB = mAuA + mBuB

Velocity relationship in a straight line elastic
collision:

uB uA = vA vB

ELASTIC & INELASTIC COLLISIONS

TYPES OF COLLISIONS

2. Perfectly Inelastic
Before and During
Collision
Collisionv
A

vB

After Collision

u
A

ELASTIC & INELASTIC COLLISIONS

TYPES OF COLLISIONS

2. Perfectly Inelastic
Collision
After collision,
the colliding bodies merge and
move in one direction at with a common velocity.
Inelastic collisions don't conserve kinetic energy,
but total momentum before and after collision is
conserved. Kinetic energy after collision is less
than that before collision.

mAvA + mBvB = u (mA + mB)

Examples
1 A 10 g marble rolls to the left with a velocity of magnitude 0.4 m/s
on a smooth, level surface and makes a head on collision with a
larger 30 g marble rolling to the right with a velocity of magnitude of
0.1 m/s. If the collision is perfectly elastic, find the velocity of each
marble after the collision. (Since the collision is head on, all the
motion is along a line).
Given :

Required :
uA & u B

Before :
vB = 0.1 m/s
vA = 0.4 m/s
30g
10g

After :
uB = ?
uA = ?
30g
10g

Examples
2. A toy car with mass of 0.3 kg moves to the right at 5 m/s along a
frictionless horizontal table and collides with a toy truck having a
mass of 0.8 kg which is moving 1.5 m/s to the left. If the two toys
stick together, what is the final velocity (magnitude & direction)?
Given :
mtrk = 0.8 kg
Before :

vtrk = 1.5 m/s

mcar = 0.3 kg
vcar = 5 m/s

After :

u=?

Required :
u

Examples
3. A 2000 kg automobile going eastward on Ortigas Ave at 50 km/hr
collides with a 4000 kg truck which is going northward across
Ortigas Ave at 20 km/hr. If they become coupled on collision, what is
the magnitude and direction of their velocity immediately after
collision? (Friction forces between the cars & the road can be
neglected during the collision).
Given :
Required :
u
Before :

After :

vcar = 50 km/hr

vtrk = 20 km/hr

u= ?

ELASTIC & INELASTIC COLLISIONS

Coefficient of Restitution
() representing the ratio of velocities
A fractional value

before and after an impact. This determines the bounce

quality of an object, practical examples are balls used in
golf & tennis.

from Elastic Collision :

uB u A = vA v B
= (uB uA) / (vA vB)

= 1 (for Perfectly Elastic Collision)

= 0 (for Perfectly Inelastic Collision)

ELASTIC & INELASTIC COLLISIONS

Coefficient of Restitution
If one side is stationary,
say the floor or wall.
()
= (u) / (v)

Using bounce heights

=
=

h2 /h1
h3

/h2

h1
h2

h3
v

h4

/h3

h4