FOS4 – Practice Problems – Momentum and Impulse – Solutions

1) A 2.5 kg ball strikes a wall with a velocity of 8.5 m/s to the left. The ball bounces off with a velocity of
7.5 m/s to the right. If the ball is in contact with the wall for 0.25 s, what is the force exerted on the ball by
the wall? (assume the force is constant)
! m ! m !
vi = −8.5 ; v f = +7.5 ; m = 2.5kg; Δt = 0.25s; ∑ F = ?
s s
! ! !
! Δp mv − mv ( 2.5) ( 7.5) − ( 2.5) (−8.5)
∑ F = Δt = f Δt i = 0.25
= 160N

2) A 0.150 kg baseball moving at +26 m/s is slowed to a stop by a catcher in 0.010 s. (a) What force did
the catcher exert on the ball during this time? (assume constant force) (b) How far did the ball travel
before stopping?
! Δp! mv! f − mv!i ( 0.15) ( 0 ) − ( 0.15) ( 26 )
(a) ∑ F = = = = −390N
Δt Δt 0.01
1 1
(b) Δx = ( v f + vi ) Δt = ( 0 + 26 ) ( 0.01) = 0.13m
2 2

3) A 0.10 kg ball of dough is thrown straight up into the air with an initial velocity of 15 m/s. (a) Find the
momentum of the ball of dough at its maximum height. (b) Find the momentum of the ball of dough
halfway up to its maximum height on the way up.
! !
(a) At maximum height the velocity of the ball is zero. ptop = mvtop = m ( 0 ) = 0
(b) Using conservation of energy, we know half of the ball’s Kinetic Energy will be converted to
Gravitational Potential Energy, therefore the ball will have half of its original Kinetic Energy.
1 1"1 % 1 1 1 2 1 2 m
2
KEi = KE f ⇒ $ mvi2 ' = mv 2f ⇒ vi2 = v 2f ⇒ v f =
2#2 & 2 2 2
vi =
2
(15 ) = 10.6066
s

!
! !
( )( )
p f = mv f = 0.1 10.6066 = 1.06066 ≈ 1.1
kg⋅m
s
4) A batter hits a ball with a net force of 1220 N opposite to the direction of the ball’s initial momentum.
-3
The force acts on the ball for 9.0 x 10 seconds during the hit. (a) What is the magnitude of the change in
momentum of the ball? (b) What magnitude force does the ball exert on the bat? (explain)
! Δp! ! !
(a) ∑ = Δt ⇒ Δp = ∑ FΔt = (1220) (0.009) = 10.98 ≈ 11N ⋅ s
F
(b) 1220 N. According to Newton’s Third Law, for every force the ball exerts on the bat the bat exerts an
equal an opposite force on the ball.
-2
5) While being thrown a net constant force of 132 N acts for 4.5 x 10 seconds on a baseball with a mass
of 140 g. (a) What is the magnitude of the impulse acting on the ball? (b) If the ball was initially at rest,
what is the speed of the ball as it leaves the pitchers hand?
! Δp! ! !
(a) ∑ F = ⇒ Δp = ∑ FΔt = (132 ) ( 0.045) = 5.94 ≈ 5.9N ⋅ s
Δt
1kg
(b) m = 140g × = 0.140kg
1000g
!
! ! ! ! ! ! Δp 5.94 m
Δp = mv f − mvi = mv f − m ( 0 ) = mv f ⇒ v f = = = 42.429 ≈ 42
m 0.140 s

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Practice Problems 06 - Momentum and Impulse (solutions).docx 1 of 3
 4 5
6) A rocket weighing 9.36 x 10 N has an engine that provides an upward thrust of 8.90 x 10 N. The
rocket reaches a maximum speed of 860 m/s. Draw a free body diagram and determine how long the
engine must burn in order to reach this speed.

FBD: Upward thrust arrow which is much longer than the downward force of gravity arrow.
Fg 9.36 ×10 4
Fg = mg ⇒ m = = = 9541.28kg
g 9.81
! Δp! ! !
Δp mv f − mvi
!
(
9541.28 860 − 9541.28 0 )( ) ( )( )
∑ Δt
F = ⇒ Δt = ! = ! ! = = 10.303 ≈ 1.0 ×101 seconds
! ∑ F F T
− Fg
8.9 ×10 5
− 9.36 ×10 4

7) A football punter accelerates a 0.55 kg football from rest to a speed of 8.0 m/s in 0.25 s. What average
force does the punter exert on the ball?
! !
! Δp! mv f − mvi 0.55 8 − 0.55 0
06-17) ∑ F = = =
( )( ) (
= 17.6 ≈ 18N
)( )
! Δt Δt 0.25
Note: This problem, and many other problems having to do with the force of impact during collisions, uses
the Impulse Approximation: During the short time interval of the collision, the force of impact is much larger
than all of the other forces, therefore we can consider the other forces to be negligible when compared to
the impact force and the net force is approximately equal to the force of impact.
-4
8) A 0.025 kg golf ball moving at 18 m/s crashes through the window of a house in 5.0 x 10 s. After the
crash, the ball continues in the same direction with a speed of 10.0 m/s. Assuming the force exerted on the
ball by the window was constant, what was the magnitude of this force?
! !
! Δp! mv f − mvi 0.025 10 − 0.025 18
06-21) ∑ F = = =
( )( ) ( )( )
= −400N ⇒ 4.0×102 N (magnitude only)
! Δt Δt 5.0×10−4

9) Using the graph at right, determine the impulse F

delivered to a ball. (N)
tf
!
Δp = ∫ FΔt = Area "under" curve 150
ti

! 1 1 kg ⋅ m 100
⇒ Δp = ( base) ( height ) = ( 0.4 − 0.1) (100 ) = 15
2 2 s
50

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 t (s)

10) A 1550 kg car moving south at 10.0 m/s collides with a 2550 kg car moving north. The cars stick
together and move as a unit after the collision at a velocity of 5.22 m/s to the north. Find the velocity of the
2550 kg car before the collision.
06-37)
!∑
!
p = ∑p i
!
f (
⇒ m1v1i + m2v2i = m1 + m2 v f )
( )( ) ( ) (
⇒ 1550 −10 + 2550 v2i = 1550+ 2550 5.22 ⇒ v2i = )( ) (
21402− −15500 ) = 14.47137 ≈ 14.5 m
! 2550 s

Palmer 1/16/18
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11) A 1.20 kg skateboard is coasting along the pavement at a speed of 5.00 m/s when a 0.800 kg cat drops
from a tree vertically downward onto the skateboard. What is the speed of the skateboard-cat combination?
(solution is in the x-direction only!)

!∑
!
p = ∑p i
!
f ( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) (
⇒ m1v1i + m2v2i = m1 + m2 v f ⇒ 1.2 5 + 0.8 0 = 1.2+ 0.8 v f )
m
⇒ 6+0 = 2v f ⇒ v f = 3.00
s
12) A 91 kg fullback mobbing east with a speed of 5.0 m/s is tackled by a 95 kg opponent running west at
3.0 m/s, and the collision is perfectly inelastic. Calculate the following: (a) the velocity of the players just after
the tackle, (b) the decrease in kinetic energy during the collision.

06-43) This is a collision & momentum is conserved during all collisions & explosions.
∑p =∑p i f
⇒ m1v1i + m2 v2i = m1v1 f + m2 v2 f & Because the two objects stick together;

v1 f = v 2 f = v f
⇒ m1v1i + m2 v2i = m1v f + m2 v f = (m1 + m2 )v f
m v + m2 v2i (91)(5) + (95 )(− 3) m
⇒ v f = 1 1i = = 0.91398 ≈ 0.91
m1 + m2 91 + 95 s
(b) The decrease in KE is ΔKE = KEf - KEi
1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
KEi = m1v1i + m2 v2i = (91)(5) + (95)(− 3) = 1565 J
2 2 2 2
1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
KE f = m1v1 f + m2 v2 f = (m1 + m2 )v f = (91 + 95)(0.91398) = 77.688J
2 2 2 2
ΔKE = KE f − KEi = 77.688 − 1565 = −1487.3 ≈ −1500 J

13) A billiard ball traveling at 4.0 m/s has an elastic head-on collision with a billiard ball of equal mass that is
initially at rest. The first ball is at rest after the collision. What is the speed of the second ball after the collsion?
! !
!∑
06-45) p = ∑p
i f
⇒ m1v1i + m2v2i = m1v1 f + m2v2 f & m1 = m2 = m ⇒ mv1i + mv2i = mv1 f + mv2 f
m
⇒ v1i + v2i = v1 f + v2 f ⇒ v1i + 0 = 0+ v2 f ⇒ v1i = v2 f = 4.0
! s
14) A 25.0 g marble moving to the right at 20.0 cm/s overtakes and collides elastically with a 10.0 g marble
moving in the same direction at 15.0 cm/s. After the collision, the 10.0 g marble moves to the right at 22.1
cm/s. Find the velocity of the 25.0 g marble after the collision.
06-47)
!∑
!
p = ∑p
i
!
f ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )
⇒ m1v1i + m2v2i = m1v1 f + m2v2 f ⇒ 25 20 + 10 15 = 25 v1 f + 10 22.1( )( )
500+150− 221 cm
⇒ 500+150 = 25v1 f + 221 ⇒ v1 f = = 17.16 ≈ 17.2
! 25 s
15) A 15.0 g toy car moving to the right at 20.0 cm/s has an elastic head-on collision with a 20.0 g toy car
moving in the opposite direction at 30.0 cm/s. After colliding, the 15.0- g car moves with a velocity of 37.1
cm/s to the left. Find the velocity of the 20.0 g car after the collision.
06-48)
!∑
!
p = ∑p
i
!
f ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )
⇒ m1v1i + m2v2i = m1v1 f + m2v2 f ⇒ 15 20 + 20 −30 = 15 −37.1 + 20 v2 f
300− 600+556.5 cm
⇒ 300− 600 = −556.5+ 20v2 f ⇒ v2 f = = 12.825 ≈ 12.8
! 20 s

Palmer 1/16/18
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