Chapter 7

Linear Momentum
Units of Chapter 7
Momentum and Its Relation to Force
Conservation of Momentum
Collisions and Impulse
Conservation of Energy and Momentum in
Collisions
Elastic Collisions in One Dimension
Inelastic Collisions
Center of Mass (CM)
Momentum is a vector symbolized by the symbol p,
and is defined as
p = mv (a vector || v)

SI Units: kg - m/s = N - s

Question: How is the momentum of a body change?
Chapter 7
Linear Momentum
Answer: By the application of a force F
(7-1)
Momentum: p = mv

The rate of change of momentum is equal to the net
force: F = Ap/At

Also considered as the most general statement of
Newtons 2nd Law




Is more general than F = ma because it allows for
the mass m to change with time also!
Example, rocket motion! Later!
7-1 Momentum and Its Relation to Force

in time change
momentum in change
body a on acting force Total =
(7-2)
7-1 Momentum and Its Relation to Force
Newtons 2nd Law (General Form!)
F = Ap/At

Note: if m is constant, becomes:
F = Ap/At = A(mv)/At = m(Av/At) = ma

m = constant.
Initial momentum p
0
= mv
0
, Final momentum p = mv.
becomes:

F = Ap/At = m(v-v
0
)/At
= m(Av/At) = ma
(as before)
F = Ap/At
Initial p = mv
Final p = 0
Water rate = 1.5 kg/s

Ap = 0 mv
F = (Ap/At)
= [(0-mv)/At] = - mv/ At

m = 1.5 kg every second

On the water F = -30 N
On the car F = 30 N
Example 7-2
Experimental fact (provable from Newtons Laws):

For two colliding objects, (zero external force) the total
momentum is conserved (constant) throughout the collision

The total (vector) momentum before the collision =
the total (vector) momentum after the collision.

Law of Conservation of Momentum
7-2 Conservation of Momentum
7-2 Conservation of Momentum
During a collision, measurements show that the total
momentum does not change:
P
total
= p
A
+ p
B

=(p
A
)'+ (p
B
)'
= constant
Or:
Ap
total
= Ap
A
+ Ap
B
= 0
p
A
= m
A
v
A
, p
B
=
m
B
v
B
Initial momenta

(p
A
)' = m
A
(v
A
)'
(p
B
)' = m
B
(v
B
)'
Final momenta
the vector sum
is constant!
Collision: m
1
v
1
+m
2
v
2
= m
1
(v
1
)' + m
2
(v
2
)'
Proof, using Newtons Laws:
Force on 1, due to 2,
F
12
= Ap
1
/At
= m
1
[(v
1
)' - v
1
]/At
Force on 2, due to 1,
F
21
= Ap
2
/At
= m
2
[(v
2
)' - v
2
]/ At
Newtons 3
rd
Law: F
21
= - F
12
-m
1
[(v
1
)' - v
1
]/At = m
2
[(v
2
)' - v
2
]/At
OR: m
1
v
1
+m
2
v
2
= m
1
(v
1
)' + m
2
(v
2
)' Proven!
A1
B2
7-2 Conservation of Momentum
More formally, the law of conservation of
momentum states:
The total momentum of an isolated system
of objects remains constant.
m
1
v
1
+m
2
v
2
= (m
1
+ m
2
)V' v
2
= 0, (v
1
)' = (v
2
)' = V'
V' = [(m
1
v
1
)/(m
1
+ m
2
)] = 12 m/s
Example 7-3
I nitial Momentum = Final Momentum (1D)
7-2 Conservation of Momentum
Momentum conservation works for a rocket as
long as we consider the rocket and its fuel to
be one system, and account for the mass loss
of the rocket.
0 = P
rocket
- P
gas
Momentum Before = Momentum After
m
1
v
1
+m
2
v
2
= m
1
(v
1
)' + m
2
(v
2
)'
m
B
= 0.02 kg m
R
= 5.0 kg (v
B
)' = 620 m/s
0 = m
B
(v
B
) ' + m
R
(v
R
)'
(v
R
)' = - 2.5 m/s (to left, of course!)
Example 7-4
7-3 Collisions and Impulse
During a collision, objects
are deformed due to the
large forces involved.
Since , we can
write
The definition of impulse:
(7-5)
7-3 Collisions and Impulse
Since the time of the collision is very short, we
need not worry about the exact time dependence
of the force, and can use the average force.
Impulse here is the area under the
F
c
vs. t curve.
7-3 Collisions and Impulse
The impulse tells us that we can get the same
change in momentum with a large force acting for a
short time, or a small force acting for a longer time.
This is why you should bend
your knees when you land;
why airbags work; and why
landing on a pillow hurts less
than landing on concrete.
Advantage of bending knees when landing!
a) m =70 kg, h =3.0 m
Impulse: Ap = ?
FAt= Ap = m(0-v)
First, find v (just before
hitting): AKE + APE = 0
()m(v
2
-0) + mg(0 - h) = 0
v = 7.7 m/s
Or using:

Impulse: Ap = -540 N s
Example 7-6
) ( 2
0
2
0
2
y y a v v + =
Advantage of bending knees when landing!
Impulse: Ap = -540 N s
m =70 kg, h =3.0 m, F = ?
b) Stiff legged: v = 7.7 m/s to
v = 0 in d =1 cm (0.01m)!
average v = ( )(7.7 +0) = 3.8 m/s
Time At = d/v = 2.6 10
-3
s
F = |Ap/At| = 2.1 10
5
N
(Net force upward on person)
From free body diagram,
F = F
grd
- mg ~ 2.1 10
5
N
Enough to fracture leg bone!!!
Example 7-6
Example 7-6
Advantage of bending knees when landing!
Impulse: Ap = -540 N s
m =70 kg, h =3.0 m, F = ?
c) Knees bent: v = 7.7 m/s to
v = 0 in d =50 cm (0.5m)
v = ( )(7.7 +0) = 3.8 m/s
Time At = d/v = 0.13

s
F = |Ap/At| = 4.2 10
3
N
(Net force upward on person)
From free body diagram,
F = F
grd
- mg ~ 4.9 10
3
N
Leg bone does not break!!!
Impulse:
m = 0.060 kg v = 25 m/s
Ap = change in momentum wall.
Momentum || to wall does not
change. Impulse will be wall.
Take + direction toward wall,
Impulse = Ap = mAv
= m[(- v sin) - (v sin)]
= -2mv sin = - 2.1 N s.
Impulse on wall is in
opposite direction:
2.1 N s.
Problem 17
v
i
= v sin
v
f
= - v sin
Momentum is ALWAYS (!!!) conserved in a
collision!
m
1
v
1
+ m
2
v
2
= m
1
(v
1
)' + m
2
(v
2
)'
HOLDS for ALL collisions!

For Elastic Collisions ONLY (!!)
Total Kinetic energy (KE) is conserved!!
(KE)
before
= (KE)
after

()m
1
(v
1
)
2
+ () m
2
(v
2
)
2

= ()m
1
(v
1
')
2
+ ()m
2
(v
2
')
2


7-4 Conservation of Energy and Momentum
in Collisions
7-4 Conservation of Energy and Momentum
in Collisions
Momentum is conserved
in all collisions.
Collisions in which
kinetic energy is
conserved as well are
called elastic collisions,
and those in which it is
not are called inelastic.
7-5 Elastic Collisions in One Dimension
Here we have two objects
colliding elastically. We
know the masses and the
initial speeds.
Since both momentum
and kinetic energy are
conserved, we can write
two equations. This
allows us to solve for the
two unknown final
speeds.
Special case: Head-on Elastic Collisions.
Momentum is conserved (ALWAYS!)
P
before
= P
after

m
1
v
1
+ m
2
v
2
= m
1
v
1
' + m
2
v
2
'
v
1
, v
2
, v
1
', v
2
' are one dimensional vectors!
Kinetic Energy is conserved (ELASTIC!)
(KE)
before
= (KE)
after

()m
1
(v
1
)
2
+ ()m
2
(v
2
)
2
= ()m
1
(v
1
')
2
+ () m
2
(v
2
')
2

2 equations, 6 quantities: v
1
,v
2
,v
1
', v
2
', m
1
,m
2
Clearly, must be given 4 out of 6 to solve
problems! Solve with CAREFUL algebra!!
m
1
v
1
+ m
2
v
2
= m
1
v
1
' + m
2
v
2
' (1)


()m
1
(v
1
)
2
+ ()m
2
(v
2
)
2
= ()m
1
(v
1
')
2
+ () m
2
(v
2
')
2
(2)
Now, some algebra with (1) & (2), the results of
which will help to simplify problem solving:
Rewrite (1) as: m
1
(v
1
- v
1
') = m
2
(v
2
' - v
2
) (a)
Rewrite (2) as:
m
1
[(v
1
)
2
- (v
1
')
2
] = m
2
[(v
2
')
2
- (v
2
)
2
] (b)
Divide (b) by (a):
v
1
+ v
1
' = v
2
+ v
2
' or
v
1
- v
2
= v
2
' - v
1
' = -(v
1
' - v
2
') (3)
Relative velocity before= - Relative velocity after
Elastic head-on (1d) collisions only!!
Summary: 1d Elastic collisions: Rather than
directly use momentum conservation + KE
conservation, often convenient to use:
Momentum conservation:
m
1
v
1
+ m
2
v
2
= m
1
v
1
' + m
2
v
2
' (1)
along with:
v
1
- v
2
= v
2
' - v
1
' = -(v
1
' - v
2
') (3)
(1) & (3) are equivalent to momentum
conservation + KE conservation, since (3) was
derived from these conservation laws!

m
1
= m
2
= m, v
1
= v, v
2
= 0, v
1
' = ?, v
2
' = ?
Momentum Conservation: mv +m(0)=mv
1
' +mv
2
'
Masses cancel v +0 = v
1
' + v
2
' (I)
Relative velocity results for elastic head on collision:
v
1
- v
2
= v
2
' - v
1
' v - 0 = v
2
' - v
1
' (II)
Solve (I) & (II) simultaneously for v
1
' & v
2
' :
v
1
' = 0, v
2
' = v
Ball 1: to rest. Ball 2 moves with original velocity of ball 1
Example 7-7: Pool (Billiards)
7-6 Inelastic Collisions
With inelastic collisions, some of
the initial kinetic energy is lost to
thermal or potential energy. It
may also be gained during
explosions, as there is the
addition of chemical or nuclear
energy.
A completely inelastic collision is
one where the objects stick
together afterwards, so there is
only one final velocity.
Momentum Conservation
mv = (m + M)v
Energy Conservation
()(m +M)(v)
2
= (m + M)gh
v= (2gh)
v = [1 +(M/m)](2gh)

Ex. 7-10 & Prob. 32 (Inelastic Collisions)
Up to now, weve been mainly concerned with
the motion of single (point) particles.
To treat extended bodies, weve approximated
the body as a point particle & treated it as if it
had all of its mass at a point!
How is this possible?
Real, extended bodies have complex motion,
including (possibly): translation, rotation, &
vibration!
7-8 Center of Mass
7-8 Center of Mass
In (a), the divers motion is pure translation; in (b)
it is translation plus rotation.
There is one point that moves in the same path a
particle would
take if subjected
to the same force
as the diver. This
point is called the
center of mass
(CM).
7-8 Center of Mass
The general motion of an object can be
considered as the sum of the translational
motion of the CM, plus rotational, vibrational, or
other forms of motion about the CM.
7-8 Center of Mass
For two particles, the center of mass lies closer
to the one with the most mass:


where M is the total mass.
7-8 Center of Mass
The center of gravity is the point where the
gravitational force can be considered to act. It is
the same as the center of mass as long as the
gravitational force does not vary among different
parts of the object.
7-8 Center of Mass
The center of gravity can be found experimentally
by suspending an object from different points.
The CM need not be within the actual object a
doughnuts CM is in the center of the hole.
Summary of Chapter 7
Momentum of an object:
Newtons second law:

Total momentum of an isolated system of objects is
conserved.
During a collision, the colliding objects can be
considered to be an isolated system even if external
forces exist, as long as they are not too large.
Momentum will therefore be conserved during
collisions.

In an elastic collision, total kinetic energy is
also conserved.
In an inelastic collision, some kinetic energy
is lost.
In a completely inelastic collision, the two
objects stick together after the collision.
The center of mass of a system is the point at
which external forces can be considered to
act.
Summary of Chapter 7, cont.