University Physics with Modern Physics
Fifteenth Edition
Chapter 8
Momentum,
Impulse, and
Collisions
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Learning Outcomes
In this chapter, you’ll learn…
• the momentum of a particle, and how the net force acting
on a particle causes its momentum to change.
• the circumstances under which the total momentum of a
system of particles is constant (conserved).
• elastic, inelastic, and completely inelastic collisions.
• what’s meant by the center of mass of a system, and what
determines how the center of mass moves.
• how to analyze situations such as rocket propulsion in
which the mass of an object changes as it moves.
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Introduction
• In many situations, such as hailstones shattering a roof, we
cannot use Newton’s second law to solve problems because we
know very little about the complicated forces involved.
• In this chapter, we shall introduce momentum and impulse, and
the conservation of momentum, to solve such problems.
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Momentum and Newton's Second
Law
• The momentum of a
particle is the product
of its mass and its
velocity:
p = mv
• Newton’s second law can
be written in terms of
momentum:
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Impulse (1 of 3)
• The impulse of a force is the product of the force and
the time interval during which it acts:
• On a graph of Fx versus time, the impulse is equal to
the area under the curve:
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Impulse (2 of 3)
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Impulse (3 of 3)
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Impulse and Momentum (1 of 2)
• Impulse–momentum theorem: The change in
momentum of a particle during a time interval is equal
to the impulse of the net force acting on the particle
during that interval:
• Video Tutor Solution: Example 8.2
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Impulse and Momentum (2 of 2)
• When you land after jumping upward,
your momentum changes from a
downward value to zero.
• It’s best to land with your knees bent
so that your legs can flex.
• You then take a relatively long time to
stop, and the force that the ground
exerts on your legs is small.
• If you land with your legs extended,
you stop in a short time, the force on
your legs is larger, and the possibility
of injury is greater.
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Compare Momentum and Kinetic
Energy
• The kinetic energy of a
pitched baseball is equal to
the work the pitcher does on
it (force multiplied by the
distance the ball moves
during the throw).
• The momentum of the ball is
equal to the impulse the
pitcher imparts to it (force
multiplied by the time it took
to bring the ball up to speed).
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An Isolated System
• Two astronauts push
each other as they float
freely in the zero-gravity
environment of space.
• There are no external
forces; when this is the
case, we have an
isolated system.
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Conservation of Momentum
• External forces (the normal force
and gravity) act on the skaters
shown, but their vector sum is
zero.
• Therefore the total momentum of
the skaters is conserved.
• Conservation of momentum: If
the vector sum of the external
forces on a system is zero, the
total momentum of the system is
constant.
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Remember that Momentum Is a
Vector!
• When applying conservation
of momentum, remember
that momentum is a vector
quantity!
• Use vector addition to add
momenta, as shown at the
right.
• Video Tutor Solution:
Example 8.3
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Elastic Collisions: Before
• In an elastic collision, the total kinetic energy of the
system is the same after the collision as before.
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Elastic Collisions: During
• In an elastic collision, the total kinetic energy of the
system is the same after the collision as before.
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Elastic Collisions: After
• In an elastic collision, the total kinetic energy of the
system is the same after the collision as before.
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Completely Inelastic Collisions:
Before
• In an inelastic collision, the total kinetic energy after
the collision is less than before the collision.
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Completely Inelastic Collisions:
During
• In an inelastic collision, the total kinetic energy after
the collision is less than before the collision.
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Completely Inelastic Collisions: After
• In an inelastic collision, the total kinetic energy after
the collision is less than before the collision.
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Collisions
• In an inelastic collision, the total kinetic energy after
the collision is less than before the collision.
• A collision in which the objects stick together is called
a completely inelastic collision.
• In any collision in which the external forces can be
neglected, the total momentum is conserved.
• In elastic collisions only, the total kinetic energy
before equals the total kinetic energy after.
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Inelastic Collision Example
• Cars are designed so that
collisions are inelastic—the
structure of the car
absorbs as much of the
energy of the collision as
possible.
• This absorbed energy
cannot be recovered, since
it goes into a permanent
deformation of the car.
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Elastic Collision Example
• Billiard balls deform very little
when they collide, and they
quickly spring back from any
deformation they do undergo.
• Hence the force of interaction
between the balls is almost
perfectly conservative, and the
collision is almost perfectly
elastic.
• Video Tutor Demonstration: Happy/Sad Pendulums
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Elastic Collisions in One
Dimension (1 of 4)
• Let’s look at a one-dimensional elastic collision between two
objects A and B, in which all the velocities lie along the same line.
• We will concentrate on the particular case in which object B is at
rest before the collision.
• Conservation of kinetic energy and momentum give the result for
the final velocities of A and B:
mB (v A1x + v A 2 x ) = mA (v A1x − v A 2 x )
m A − mB
v A2 x = v A1x
mA + mB
2mA
vB2x = v A1x
mA + mB
• Video Tutor Solution: Example 8.11
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Elastic Collisions in One
Dimension (2 of 4)
• When B is much more massive than A, then A
reverses its velocity direction, and B hardly moves.
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Elastic Collisions in One
Dimension (3 of 4)
• When B is much less massive than A, then A slows a
little bit, while B picks up a velocity of about twice the
original velocity of A.
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Elastic Collisions in One
Dimension (4 of 4)
• When A and B have similar masses, then A stops after
the collision and B moves with the original speed of A.
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Center of Mass
• We can restate the principle of conservation of
momentum in a useful way by using the concept of
center of mass.
• Suppose we have several particles with masses m1,
m2, and so on.
• We define the center of mass of the system as the
point at the position given by:
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Center of Mass of Symmetrical
Objects (1 of 2)
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Center of Mass of Symmetrical
Objects (2 of 2)
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