3.

3 Linear Momentum and the Principle of

Conservation of Linear Momentum
Linear Momentum
Definition :
Linear momentum p is the product of the mass of a particle m
and its velocity v for the particle moving in a straight line.
Momentum = mass x velocity
p = mv
Linear momentum is a vector quantity :
Product of a scalar (m) and a vector (v)
Direction : along v.
Dimension and unit :
Dimension : MLT-1
SI unit : kg m s-1 or N s 1
Application of Newton’s First and Second Laws of Motion

From Newton’s Second Law :

 dp 
F =
dt
 d ( mv)
F =
dt
 
dm dv
F =v +m
dt dt

2
  Case 1 :
 Object at rest or in motion with constant velocity but with
changing mass : 
  dm   dv 
F = v  + m 
 dt   dt 
  dm 
F = v  + m ( 0)
 dt 
  dm 
F = v 
 dt 
 Example : Rocket propulsion
• Hot burning gases are ejected by the rocket at uniform velocity ve , known
as the exhaust speed
• For m kg of gas per unit time t, the downward force,
   dm 
F  ve   where dm/dt is the rate of the mass of 3
 dt  gases ejected from the rocket
• By Newton’s 3rd Law, an equal and opposite force exerts on the rocket to propel
it upward. dv
dm dt
Thrust = ve
dt
(The thrust on the rocket is the force exerted on it
by the ejected exhaust gases.) M
Let,
M = mass of the rocket (and its remaining fuel)
dv = instantaneous acceleration of the rocket dm
dt dt
hence, dm   dM (The rate of mass of the gases ejected equals
dt dt the rate of decrease of the mass of the rocket) ve
and, dv dm dM
M  ve  ve
dt dt dt
vf Mf
dM
  dv  -ve
vi

Mi
M
Mi Mi
vf  vi  ve ln ⇒ vf  vi  ve ln (where vf = final velocity4
Mf Mf of the rocket)
 Case 2 :
 Object with constant mass but with changing velocity ,

   dm  
 dv 
F v  m  
 dt   dt 
  
F  v (0)  ma
 
F  ma
The time rate of change of the linear momentum of a particle is
equal to the net force acing on the particle.
⇒ Newton’s second law
5
 Case 3 :
 Object at rest or in motion with constant velocity and
constant mass ,
   dm  
 dv 
F v  m  
 dt   dt 
 
F  v (0)  m(0)

F 0
From Newton’s First Law of Motion :
 
dp
F 0
dt

p constant 6
 The Principle of Conservation of Linear Momentum
• “ When the net external force on a system of particles is zero,
the total momentum of the system is conserved.”
Or ;
• “ Provided there are no external forces acting on a system of
particles, the total momentum before collisions equals the
total momentum after collisions.”
From Newton’s First Law of Motion,
 
dp 
when F  0   p is constant ,
dt
hence,
Σ initial momentum = Σ final momentum
 
 pi   p f
For a collision involving two bodies :
   
m1u1  m2u2  m1v1  m2 v2
7
 Consider a system of two objects A and B :
Before collision During collision After collision
uA uB vA vB
A B A B
A B  
FA FB
  

uA = initial velocity of A  vA  uA  
vA = final velocity of A
FA  mA  
  t  
uB = initial velocity of B   vB = final velocity of B
  vB  uB 
FB  mB  
 t 
 
By Newton’s third law ; FA   FB
   
 vA  u A   vB  u B 
mA    mB  
 t   t 
   
mA uA  mBuB  mA vA  mB vB
⇒ Principle of conservation of linear momentum (if there is no external force) 8
Example: Linear momentum

The velocity of a particle of mass 200 g moving in a

straight line, increases from 10 to 50 cm s-1 in 2 s.
Find the force which acted on this particle.

9
 Example : Principle of conservation of linear momentum
A 1.5 kg ball was kicked with an initial velocity of 40 m s-1 at the angle of 30° with
the horizontal line. Calculate the initial momentum of the ball and also the
horizontal and vertical components of the initial momentum.
Solution :
y
v = 40 m s-1
vy

)30o
x
m=1.5 kg vx

10
 3.4 Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
Collision
 a process of mutual action between two or more bodies at an
instant
 total momentum of the colliding object is conserved , external
forces can be ignored
 total kinetic energy may or may not be conserved , may change
to heat or sound energy
 2 types of collisions – elastic and inelastic

Conservation of : Elastic collision Inelastic collision

Linear momentum
Kinetic energy
11
 Elastic collision
 Elastic collision ⇒ the total momentum and the total kinetic energy of the
system before and after collision is conserved.
   
Conservation of momentum : m1u1  m2u2  m1v1  m2 v2
2 1 2 1 2 1 2
2 m1u1  2 m2 u2  2 m1v1  2 m2 v2
Conservation of kinetic energy : 1

(i) Elastic collision in one dimension :

u1 u2 v1 v2
1 2 1 2 1 2
During After
Before
From both conservation of momentum and conservation of kinetic energy:

⇒   m1  m2    2m2  
v1   u1   u2
and  m1  m2   m1  m2 
  2m1    m2  m1  
⇒ v2   u1   u2
 m1  m2   m1  m2  12
If m2 is at rest, u2 = 0 ;
 (m  m2 )   2m1 
⇒ v1  1 u1 and v2  u1
(m1  m2 ) (m1  m2 )
Note :
If ;
 m1 = m2 ⇒ v1 = 0 ; v2 = u1
 m1 > m2 ⇒ v1 < u1 ; v2 > u1 [after collision , m1 will slow down]
 m1 < m2 ⇒ v1 < 0 ; v2 < u1 [after collision, m1 will recoil]
 m1 >> m2 ⇒ v1 ≈ u1 ; v2 ≈ u1
 m1 << m2 ⇒ v1≈ -u1 ; v2 ≈ 0
13
(ii) Elastic collision in two dimensions :
Consider a glancing collision between two spheres of mass m1 and m2 ;
v1y v1

v1x
u1 u2=0

Before collision v2x

v2
 m2 is initially at rest,
v2y

⇒ u2  0 After collision
 initial velocity is along x-axis ,
  The two spheres move off in
⇒ u1  u1x different directions
 initial momentum along y-axis is zero ,
  
⇒ piy  ( m1u1 y  m2u2 y )  0 14
 By conservation of momentum ;
 
pinitial  pfinal
   
m1u1  m2u2  m1v1  m2 v2
Σmomentum along x ;  
pix  pfx
   
m1u1x  m2u2x  m1v1x  m2 v2x
m1u1  m1v1 cos 1  m2 v2 cos  2 ; where u2= 0

Σmomentum along y ; p 
iy  pfy
   
m1u1y  m2u2y  m1v1y  m2 v2y

0  m1v1 sin 1  m2 v2 sin  2 ; where piy  0
By conservation of kinetic energy ;
K initial  K final
1
2 m1u12  12 m2u22  12 m1v12  12 m2 v22
1
2 m1u12  12 m1v12  12 m2 v22 ; where u2= 0 15
Example : Elastic collision in one dimension
A 3000-kg truck moving with a velocity of 10 m s-1 hits a 1000-kg parked car.
The impact causes the 1000-kg car to be set in motion at 15 m s-1. Assuming
that momentum is conserved during the collision, determine the velocity of
the truck after the collision.

16
Example : Elastic collision in two dimensions
A 200 g tennis ball moving with a speed of 15 m s-1 collides with a stationary ball
of 800 g in an elastic collision. The tennis ball is scattered at an angle of 45o
from its original direction with the speed of 5 m s-1. Find the final velocity of
the struck ball.
Solution: v1y
v1= 5 m s-1
m1= 200 g = 0.2 kg
m2= 800 g = 0.8 kg
v1x

u1 = 15 m s-1 θ 1=45o
m1 θ 2= ?
m2
v2x
u2 = 0
v2y v2 = ?
Before collision
After collision
17
18
 Inelastic collision
 Inelastic collision ⇒ the total momentum of the system before and after collision
is conserved but the total kinetic energy is not conserved.
  
Conservation of momentum : m1u1  m2u2  (m1  m2 )v
2 1 2 1 2 1 2
2 m1u1  2 m2 u2  2 m1v1  2 m2 v2
Kinetic energy is not conserved: 1

(some of the kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy such as
heat or sound)
(i) Inelastic collision in one dimension :
For completely inelastic collision , objects stuck together after collision.
 
 m1u1  m2u2
By conservation of momentum :  v 
m1  m2
If m2 is at rest, u2 = 0 ;
before collision: (Kinetic energy)initial =K i  12 m1u12 2
 m1u1 
after collision: (Kinetic energy)final =K f  1 (m1  m2 )v 2  1 (m1  m2 )  
2 2
m
 1  m2 
Hence, Kf m1
 1 19
Ki m1  m2
 (ii) Ballistic pendulum : a device to measure the speed of a bullet.
Let ;
M = mass of the block
m = mass of the bullet
vi = velocity of the bullet (before collision)
vf = velocity of both block and the bullet
(after collision)
h = maximum height of the block containing the
bullet after collision

The block is at rest , so its velocity is

zero. Substitute (ii) into (i) ;
By conservation of linear momentum;
mvi  ( M  m)v f ...... (i) m+ M
vi = 2 gh
By conservation of energy (of the block and the bullet m
after collision) ;
⇒ velocity of the bullet
Kinetic energy = Potential energy before collision
1
2 ( M  m ) v f  ( M  m) gh
2

20
v f  2 gh .......(ii)
 (iii) Inelastic collision in two dimensions :
Consider a perfectly inelastic collision .
By conservation of linear momentum;
m1v1 + m2v2 = (m1+ m2) v
The x - component of the vector v ;
m1v1 = (m1+ m2) vx
m1v1
vx =
m1 + m2
The y - component of the vector v ;
m2v2 = (m1+ m2) vy
m2 v2
vy =
Let ; m1 + m2
v1 = velocity of m1 in the x direction
Magnitude , 2 2
v2 = velocity of m2 in the y direction v  vx  v y
v = final velocity  vy 
Direction ,   tan  
1
21
 vx 
 Example : Inelastic collision in one dimension
An object P of mass 3 kg is moving with a velocity of 4 m s-1 and
collides head on with an object Q of mass 1kg moving in the opposite
direction with a velocity of 2 m s-1.After the collision both objects
moves with a common velocity v. Calculate v.

uP= 4 m s-1
uQ= - 2 m s-1
P Q

22
Example : Inelastic collision – ballistic pendulum
In a ballistic experiment, suppose that ; h = 5.00 cm, m = 5.00 g and M = 1.00 kg.
Find the (a) initial speed of the bullet, vi
(b) the loss in energy due to the collision

23
Example : Inelastic collision – ballistic pendulum
A bullet of mass 20 g moving horizontally at 100 m s-1, embeds itself
in a block of wood of mass l kg which is suspended by a string.
Calculate the maximum vertical height rises by the block and the
bullet.

vf

24
 Example : Inelastic collision in two dimensions
Two cars approaching each other along streets that meet at a right angle collide at the
intersection. After the crash, they stick together. If one car has a mass of 1450 kg
and an initial speed of 11.5 m s-1 and the other has a mass of 1750 kg and an initial
speed of 15.5 m s-1, what will be their speed and direction immediately after impact ?
Solution:
v1 = 11.5 m s-1 ; v2 = 15.5 m s-1 ; m1 = 1450 kg ; m2 = 1750 kg ; v = final velocity

25
 Coefficient of restitution , ek
 Coefficient of restitution is the ratio of the differences in velocities
before and after the collision
 v2  v1  where ek = coefficient of restitution
ek     u = velocity before collision
 u2  u1  v = velocity after collision

 ek measures the ability of an object to retain its shape after

collision

 0 ≤ ek ≤ 1 )
 perfectly elastic collision : ek = 1
 perfectly inelastic collision : ek = 0

26
 Comparison between elastic and inelastic collisions :

Collision
Elastic Inelastic
Total of linear momentum Conserved Conserved
Total of kinetic energy Conserved Not conserved
Coefficient of restitution ek = 1 0 <ek <1
(perfectly elastic) ek = 0
(perfectly inelastic)

27
 
3.5 Impulse , J
 the change in momentum ,
     
J  p  m(v  u ) or J  Ft
 a vector quantity.
⇒ direction : same as direction of velocity in linear motion.
 SI unit : kg m s-1 or N s
 The force that produces impulse is impulsive force.
 The impulsive force, F is executed in a very short interval of time
e. g : the force to hit a baseball or the force to smash a
badminton shuttle
 Ft = impulse ⇒ constant. ∴ F ∝ 1
t
(The impulsive force, F increases as the contact time, t decreases) 28
  From the Newton’s second law ;

dp 
F
dt 


dp  Fdt
p t
f
  f

 dp   Fdt

pi ti
t
  f 
pf  pi   Fdt ti tf
ti ti tf
t
 f  F
p   Fdt
t
tf i
  
Impulse, J   Fdt  area under graph F  t
ti
t
ti tf 29
Example : Impulse

The force acting on an object is shown below. Find the

impulse at, (a) t = 6 s and (b) t = 8 s.
F(N)
20

0 4 6 8 t(s)

30