In this chapter, we apply the conservation of momentum to

problems ranging in scale from rockets to atomic nuclei.

Key Question
What is momentum, and
when is it conserved?

Cengage

PHYSICS for Scientists

andbe
Engineers:
Foundations
What can
learned by
applying and
Connections Deborah
Katz
the conservation
of momentum
that cannot be learned from the
conservation of energy?

Reading Quiz

The total momentum of a system is conserved

A. always.
B. if the system is isolated.
C. if the forces are conservative.
D. never; its just an approximation.

Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley.

In Chapters 8 and 9, we introduced a very powerful concept: the conservation of energy principle. However, energy is a scalar quantity, so the
conservation of energy principle only helps us find magnitudes, but not
directions, of quantities.
Fortunately, energy is not the only conserved quantity. The vector quantity known as momentum (the product of mass and velocity) is also
conserved. Because momentum is a vector, conservation of momentum
may be used to find directional information.

hockey player sends a puck with a spring attached toward a wall.

he puck-spring momentarily stop at the wall.
he puck-spring returns to the player.
ing in the conservation of energy principle can account for the change i
-spring systems direction.

Momentum of a Particle
r
The momentum p of a particle is defined as the product of
r
r
its mass and its velocity: p mv

The SI unit of momentum is kg m/s.

[p] = [kg m/s] = [M L T-1]

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Newtons Second Law

r
r
nd
Newtons 2 law: Ftot ma

r
r
p mv

r
r
dv
F

dt

If the mass of the object does not change, we write it as:

r d (mvr )
F dt
r dpr
This form of Newtons 2nd law
F

dt also holds when the systems

mass changes.

r
r
p f mv f

vy vy 0 a yt
0 ( g )t gt
r
v f gt
j (9.81 m/s 2 )(5.3) j 52 j m/s

r
r
p f mv f
r
p1 f (2.5 kg)(52 m/s)
j 1.3 10 2 j kg m/s
r
p2 f (5.0 kg)(52 m/s)
j 2.6 10 2 j kg m/s

r dpr
F dt
r
dp

mg j
dt
r

mgdt j dp
t

r
pf

mgdt

r
dp

(mgt ) j p f

We found the same results using two different methods.

Calculating the Change in Momentum

A ball of mass m = 0.25 kg rolling to the right at 1.3 m/s strikes a wall and rebounds
to the left at 1.1 m/s. What is the change in the balls momentum?
What is the impulse delivered to it by the wall?
The x - component of the initial momentum is
( p x ) i m(v x ) i (0.25 kg)(1.3 m/s) 0.33 kg m/s

No y-component of momentum.
After rebound :
( p x ) f m(vx ) f (0.25 kg)(-1.1 m/s) - 0.28 kg m/s
The change in momentum :
p x ( p x ) f ( p x ) i (0.28 kg m/s) (0.33 kg m/s)
0.61 kg m/s

r
r
p mv
r r r
p pf pi

The cars change of momentum is

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

-20 kg m/s
-10 kg m/s
+10 kg m/s
+20 kg m/s
+30 kg m/s

The Center of Mass

The real power of the concept of momentum comes out when

we analyze a system of two or more particles. To do so, we
need to know how to find a systems center of mass.
The center of mass is a point associated with any system such
that when a net external force is exerted on the system, the
center of mass accelerates according to Newtons second law.

The Center of Mass

The motion of the center of gravity (mass) of an extended object

undergoing projectile motion
is the same as that of a point object undergoing projectile motion.

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How to hang stably

Center of gravity of a jumper

Find the Center of Gravity

To calculate the gravitational torque,

we need to know where the objects
center of gravity is located.

Simple experimental method for finding

the c.o.g. based on observation:
any object free to rotate about a pivot
will come to rest with its c.o.g.
directly below the pivot.

The location of the c.o.g. of the continental USA

is at 1 mile northwest of Lebanon, Kansas.

Center of Mass of Point Masses

An object consists of the three balls shown, connected by massless rods.
Find the x- and y-positions of the objects center of gravity.

Is the center of mass location within the boundary of the object?

Find the x-coordinate of the center of mass of the three

identical bricks shown in the figure.
Exam-3 Spring2011.

Notes on Various Densities

m
Volumetric Mass Density mass per unit volume:
V

Surface Mass Density mass per unit thickness of a sheet of

uniform thickness, t :
m

Linear Mass Density mass per unit length of a rod of uniform

cross-sectional area:

m
L

The Center of Mass of a Rod

Find the center of mass of a thin, uniform rod of length L and mass M.
Use this result to find the tangential acceleration of one tip of a 1.60-m-long rod
that rotates about its center of mass with an angular acceleration of 6.0 rad/s2.
Divide the rod into many small cells
of mass dm.
One such cell, at position x.
The cells width is dx.

dm

xcm

M
dx
L

M
x0 x L dx

xcm

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1
1 1
xdx x 2
L x 0
L 2

x 0

1
L
2

In systems with a continuous, uniform distribution of mass,

the center of mass is at the geometric center of the object.

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Checking Understanding
Which point could be the center of gravity of this L-shaped
piece?

The center of mass location must lie within the boundary of the object.
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Total Momentum

r
r
p mv

System of particles:

The total momentum P of a system of particles is the vector sum of

the momenta pi of each of the individual particle:
N
r r r
r
r
r
P p1 p2 p3 K pN pk
k 1

If a system consists of many particles each with its own

m, v, and a.

r
r
r
m1v1 m2 v2 .....

Velocity of the Center of Mass: Vcm

m1 m2 .....
r
r
r
r
r r
MVcm m1v1 m2v2 ..... p1 p2 ..... ptotal

r
mi vi
M

r
r
r
m1a1 m2 a2 .....
Acceleration of the Center of Mass: Acm

m 1 m2 .....
r
r r
r
r
r
r
MAcm m1a1 m2 a2 ..... F1 F2 ..... Ftotal Fnet

r
mi ai
M

Newton's Second Law for a System of Particles

r
r
Fnet, ext MAcm
The center of mass of a system accelerates precisely as if it were
r
a point particle of mass M acted on by the force Fnet, ext

Conservation of Momentum
r
r
Fnet MAcm
r
r
Fnet, ext MAcm

r
r
r
dPCM
Fext on k Fnet ext
dt
k

r
r
r
r
r
Fnet system Fnet internal Fnet external 0 Fnet external Fnet external
Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley.

Newton's Second Law for a System of Particles

r
r
Fnet, ext MAcm
The center of mass of a system accelerates precisely as if it were
r
a point particle of mass M acted on by the force Fnet, ext

Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley.

r
r
r
dP
Fext on k Fnet ext
dt
k
If the center of mass is not accelerating, there is an inertial reference
frame in which the center of mass is at rest (vCM = 0) known as the centerof-mass frame. In the center-of-mass frame, pCM = 0; therefore, the total
momentum of the system is zero (ptot = 0).
n
r
r
r
r
ptotal p j MVcm pCM constant
j 1

Crash of the Air Carts

An air car of mass m and speed v0 moves toward a second identical air cart that is at
rest. When the carts collide they stick together and move as one. Find the velocity
of the center of mass of the system (a) before and (b) after the cards collide.
Before the collision :

m1v1 m2v2 mv0 i m 0 1

Vcm

2 v0 i
m1 m2
mm
Momentum conservation :
mv0 mvf mvf

vf 12 v0

After the collision :

m1v1 m2 v2 mvf i mvf i

Vcm

vf i 12 v0 i
m1 m2
mm

The center of mass:

serves as an average location of an extended object.
the object behaves as if all of its mass were
concentrated there (a point particle).

r
r
MAcm Fnet, ext
The center of mass of a fireworks rocket follows a parabolic path
until it explodes. After exploding, its center of mass continues on the
same parabolic path until some of the fragments start to land.

Systems that are subjected to external forces.

Define the total momentum P of a system of particle as

N

P p1 p2 p3 ....... p N pk
k 1

The time derivative of P tells us how the total momentum of the system changes with time :

N
dP N dp k

Fk
dt k 1 dt
k 1
The net force acting on particle k can be divided into external forces, from outside the
system, and the interactio n forces due to the other particles in the system :

Fk F j on k Fext on k
j k

dP
F j on k Fext on k
dt
k j k
k

Fk on j F j on k Fk on j F j on k 0

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r
r
r
dP
Fext on k Fnet ext
dt
k

r
MaCM

r
r
r
dPCM

Fext on k Fnet ext

dt
k

r
r
Fnet ext 0

r
aCM

r
dPCM r

0
dt

n
r
r
r
r
PCM = ptotal p j MVcm constant
j 1

r
r
Pf Pi

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Momentum Conservation

Conservation of Momentum Depends on the System

r r
r
P pball pEarth

r r
P pball

Momentum of the ball is not conserved.

r
dP r
Fnet ext
dt

No external
force in this
system,
hence the total
momentum is
constant.

Momentum of the system (ball +

r
Earth) is conserved.
r

Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley.

dP
0
dt

Conservation of Mometum
1.
2.

3.

Conservation of momentum means that the total momentum does

not change in time.
When any quantity is conserved, the time derivative of that quantity
is zero dptot/dt = 0.
The total momentum is the same as the momentum of the center of
mass: ptot = pCM. So when the
momentum
is conserved, the time
r
r
derivative of pCM is zero: dpCM d ( MvCM ) 0
dt
dt
r
r
r
dpCM
d (vCM )
M
MaCM 0
dt
dt

4.

When momentum is conserved,

the total external force must be
r
r
r
dpCM
r
zero:
r
Ma F 0

ext

and:

MaCM

dt

CM

r
r
pi , tot p f , tot

ext

r
dP r
0
dt

r
r
Pf Pi

Because momentum is a vector, it may be conserved in one, two, or

three dimensions. If the vector sum of the external forces on a closed
system is zero, momentum is conserved in all three dimensions:

If the total external force on a system is not zero,

momentum is not conserved:
r
r
r
dpCM dptot
Fext dt dt

The total momentum of a system is conserved

A.
B.
C.
D.

always.
if no external forces act on the system.
if no internal forces act on the system.
never; momentum is only approximately conserved.

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Speed of Ice Skaters Pushing Off

Two ice skaters, Sandra and David, stand facing each other on frictionless ice.
Sandra has a mass of 45 kg, David a mass of 80 kg. They then push off from each
other. After the push, Sandra moves off at a speed of 2.2 m/s.
What is Davids speed?
Initial total momentum:
Pi = mD (vDx)i + mS (vSx)i
= (80kg)*(0m/s) + (45kg)*(0m/s)
=0
Final total momentum:
Pf = mD (vDx)f + mS (vSx)f
= (80kg)*(vDx)f + (45kg)*(2.2m/s)
(Ptot)f = (Ptot)i
Momentum conservation:

(vDx ) f

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mS
(vSx ) f
mD
45 kg
2.2 m/s 1.2 m/s
80 kg

Recoil Speed of a Rifle

A 30 g ball is fired from a 1.2 kg spring-loaded toy rifle with a speed of 15 m/s.
What is the recoil speed of the rifle?
Initial total momentum:
Pi = mB (vBx)i + mR (vRx)i
= 0.03kg*0m/s + 1.2kg*0m/s
=0
Final total momentum:
Pf = mB (vBx)f + mR (vRx)f
= 0.03kg*15m/s + 1.2kg* (vRx)f
Momentum conservation:

r
r
PTot, f PTot, i

0.03kg*15m/s + 1.2kg* (vRx)f = 0

(vRx)f = - 0.03*15 (m/s)/1.2 = -0.38 m/s.
The minus sign indicates that the rifles recoil is to the left.

Here I Come to Save the Day!

Imagine that a dastardly villain has planted dynamite on a runaway abandoned mine
cart of mass mc = 93 kg. The car is moving quickly at 45 mph (vc = 20 m/s) along a
straight, level track. The hero, who weighs an incredible 750 lbs (mh = 340 kg), jumps
off a bridge and falls straight down into the cart. What is the speed of the cart after
the hero has made his landing? Assume rolling friction and drag are negligible.

pix mc vc
p fx (mc mh )v f
mc vc (mc mh )v f
mc vc
(93 kg)(20 m/s)
vf

4.3 m/s
mc mh (93 kg 340 kg)

Fall 2011

Rolling in the Rain

An open cart rolls along a
frictionless track while it is
raining. As it rolls, what
happens to the speed of the
cart as the rain collects in it?
(Assume that the rain falls
vertically into the box.)

a) speeds up
b) maintains constant speed
c) slows down
d) stops immediately

Rockets
Rocket propulsion is an example of conservation of momentum:

The rocket doesnt push on the environment, as in propulsion. It pushes on the

exhaust gas, and the exhaust gas pushes the rocket forward.
Newtons third law, but seen more easily from the perspective of conservation of
momentum.
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A large rock explodes into three pieces of mass m1 = 60 kg, m2 = 30 kg, and
m3 = 10 kg. The piece with mass m1 moves straight up with a speed of 10 m/s. The
piece with mass m2 moves directly to the right at a speed of 50 m/s. What is the
velocity vector of the third piece of mass m3? Write your answer in i, j unit vector
r
r
notation.
x : Px ,i ,Tot Px , f ,Tot

PTot, i PTot, f

m2 v2, xf m3v3, xf

v3. xf

m2
v2, xf
m3

30 kg
(50 m/s)
10 kg
150 m/s
m
1 v1, yf
m3

y : Py ,i ,Tot Py , f ,Tot
0

m1v1, yf m3v3, yf

v3. yf

60 kg
(10 m/s)
10 kg
60 m/s

r
v3 f (150 m/s i 60 m/s j )

An explosion in a rigid pipe shoots out three pieces.

A 6 g piece comes out the right end.
A 4 g piece comes out the left end with twice the speed of
the 6 g piece.
From which end does the third piece emerge?
Initial momentum: Pi = 0
Final momentum: Pf = 0.006*v6 + 0.004*(-2v6) + 0.006*v

A. Right end
B. Left end

Rocket Propulsion

Pi Pf
M m v M (v v) m(v ve )
M m v R , i M ( v R , i v R ) m ( v R , f

ve )

mvR ,i M vR m vR , f m ve
t 0: vR ,i vR , f 0 M vR m ve
M v m ve

As t 0, v dv and m dm.
dm dM
Mdv ve dM
vf

Mf

dv v
e

vi

Mi

dM
M

M i
v f vi ve ln
M

Rocket Propulsion
As t 0, v dv and m dm.
dm dM
Mdv ve dM

FThrust

dv
dM
Ma M
ve
dt
dt

Case Study: Rockets

Imagine Sophia on a light raft in a still pond. She uses a slingshot launcher to shoot
large water balloons horizontally off the back of her raft. We include Sophia, the
slingshot, the raft and the water balloons in the system. So, even after she launches a
balloon, we will still consider it part of the system. Assume no net external force acts
on the system, so momentum of the system is conserved.
Imagine that the raft initially at rest with respect to the pond so that the systems
initial momentum is zero in the ponds frame. Now imagine that Sophia launches a
water ballon in the negative, x direction. If Sophia continues to launch her water
balloons, her speed will continue to increase. This raft example has the essence of a
rocket. The water balloons are the fuel, the launcher is the exhaust system, the raft is
the body of the rocket, and Sophia is the astronaut.

E balloon (exhaust)
R Raft (rocket)
ground (Earth)
M Ri the initial mass of rocket
M Rf the final mass of rocket

r
r
pi p f
r
r
r
r
mvE ,i M R vR ,i mvE , f M R vR , f
r
r
r
r
mvR ,i mvE , f M R vR , f M R vR ,i
Relative velocity:
r
r
r
vE vER vR

r
r
r
r
mvR ,i m vER , f vR , f M R vR
r
r
mvER , f M R vR
r
r
M R vR mvER

Consider the continuous exhausting of water with the fire house. Just as in the case of
the balloon, the water is exhausted from the hose at vER with respect to the raft rocket.
We imagine breaking up the steady stream of water coming out of the fire hose into
small disks of mass dm. Each of these imaginary disks of water is like a very small
water balloon. When a small mass of water dm is ejected from the rocket, the rockets
velocity changes by a small amount dvRg.

r
r
M R vR mvER
r
r
M R dvR (dm)vER

r
r
dm dM R M R dvR ( dM R )vER
r
r dM R
dvR vER

M Rf
r
r
vR vER ln

M
Ri

r
The change in the rocket's velocity vR
is in the opposite direction to the exhaust
r
velocity vER .

r
vRf

r
vRi

r
dvR

M Rf

r dM R
v
M ER M R
Ri

M Rf
r
r
r
vRf vRi vER ln

M
Ri

Rocket Thrust: An Open System

r
r
r
M

v
pR = R R
ER
How is it related to force?
For t 0, m dm :

r
r pr
m r
vR

vER
F
MR
t
t
t

dm
dM R

dt
dt

r
dvR dM R r
MR

vER
dt
dt
r
r dM R
Fthrust v ER
dt
dM R
has a negative value.
dt

At liftoff, the engines of the Saturn V rocket consumed 14,000 kg/s

of fuel and exhausted the combustion products at 2900 m/s.
What was the total upward force (thrust) provided by the engines?
r
r
p
HW #10 Fire hydrant
Favg
t
r
r dM R
Fthrust v ER
r
r
m v
dt
Favg

t
r m
r r
m

f vi

t
t

r
(14, 000 kg/s) 2900 m/s j 0
4.06 107 N j

Newton's 3rd law: Reaction Action

r
r
Fthrust Fgas ejection
4.06 107 N j

Additional Example Problem

A 500 kg rocket sled is coasting at 20 m/s. It then turns on its
rocket engines for 5.0 s, with a thrust of 1000 N. What is its final
speed?

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Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley.

General Principles

Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley.