F33.

106: Physics 1, Class 008 (English Course)

Distribution of notes outside of this course is forbidden.

Chapter 9: Center of Mass and Linear Momentum

Yong Siah Teo
Building 56, Room 333
ys_teo@[Link]
Newton’s Second Law on 𝑛 particles
• If 𝑭net is the total net force acting on a system of 𝑛 particles, each with mass 𝑚𝑗 :
𝑛 𝑛
𝑭net = ෍ 𝑭𝑗 = ෍ 𝑚𝑗 𝒂𝑗 ≡ 𝑀𝒂COM ,
𝑗=1 𝑗=1
𝑛
𝑀=෍ 𝑚𝑗 .
𝑗=1

• The acceleration 𝒂COM (or 𝒂CM ) is that of the center-of-mass 𝒓COM (or 𝒓CM ):
𝑛 2 2
1 𝑑 𝑑
𝒂COM = ෍ 𝑚𝑗 𝒓𝑗 = 𝒓COM ,
𝑀 𝑗=1 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
1 𝑛
𝒓COM = ෍ 𝑚𝑗 𝒓𝑗 (center of mass).
𝑀 𝑗=1
Newton’s Second Law on 𝑛 particles
• 𝑭net = 𝑀𝒂COM
✓ 𝑭net is the sum of all external forces on the system. Internal forces acting amongst the particles
cancel each other.
✓ Total mass 𝑀 is constant (isolated system).
✓ 𝒂COM is the center-of-mass acceleration.

𝒓COM
Newton’s Second Law on 𝑛 particles
• 𝑭net = 𝑀𝒂COM
❑Billiard ball collision: constant-speed cue ball
hitting another ball (identical mass).
➢ All forces are internal (zero net force).
➢ 𝒂COM = 𝟎.
Newton’s Second Law on 𝑛 particles
• 𝑭net = 𝑀𝒂COM
❑Fireworks rocket: explosion of a projectile.
➢ All internal forces cancel.
➢ 𝒂COM = −𝑔 𝐣.
Center of Mass

Two-body system:
 Center of Mass
Many-body system:

1 1
𝒓COM = න d𝑚 𝒓 = න d𝑉 𝜌(𝒓) 𝒓
𝑀 𝑉 𝑀 𝑉
❖If 𝜌 is constant:
𝑀
𝜌= ,
𝑉

1
𝒓COM = න d𝑉 𝒓.
𝑉 𝑉
In this case, COM is also the centroid or
geometric center of the object.
Center of Mass of Uniform Density
Linear rod:

[Link]
Center of Mass of Uniform Density
Quadrant disc:
d𝑥 d𝑦 = d𝜗 d𝑟 𝑟
Center of Mass of Uniform Density
Semicircular disc:
COMs of quadrant discs

Each piece behaves as a point whose mass

concentrates at its COM.
Center of Mass of Uniform Density
Circular disc:

Each piece behaves as a point whose

mass concentrates at its COM.
Center of Mass of Uniform Density
Linear Momentum
Single particle

The time rate of change of the momentum of a particle is equal to the

net force acting on the particle and is in the direction of that force.
Linear Momentum
Linear Momentum
System of particles
 Impulse and Collisions
• Begin with d𝒑 = 𝑭d𝑡:
𝒑f 𝑡f
න d𝒑 = න d𝑡 𝑭 ,
𝒑i 𝑡i
𝑡f
𝑱 = න d𝑡 𝑭 impulse ,
𝑡i
∆𝒑 = 𝒑f − 𝒑i
𝒑f
= න d𝒑 momentum change ,
𝒑i

Figure 9-8 Force 𝑭 𝑡 acts on a ⇒ ∆𝒑 = 𝑱 (momentum-impulse theorem)

ball as the ball and a bat collide.

The collision of a ball with a bat

collapses part of the ball.
Impulse and Collisions
• When 𝑭(𝑡) is unknown but ∆𝒑 is given:
𝑱 ≡ 𝑭avg ∆𝑡 ,

1 𝑡f
𝑭avg ≡ න d𝑡 𝑭 ,
∆𝑡 𝑡i

∆𝒑
𝑭avg =
∆𝑡

Average force
 Impulse and Collisions
Sample Problem 9.04
Race car–wall collision. Figure 9-11a is an overhead view of the path
taken by a race car driver as his car collides with the racetrack wall. Just
before the collision, he is traveling at speed 𝑣i = 70 m/s along a straight
line at 30° from the wall. Just after the collision, he is traveling at speed
𝑣f = 50 m/s along a straight line at 10° from the wall. His mass 𝑚 is 80 kg.

(a) What is the impulse 𝑱 on the driver due to the collision?

Figure 9-11 (a) Overhead view of the path

taken by a race car and its driver as the car
slams into the racetrack wall. (b) The initial
momentum 𝒑i and final momentum 𝒑f of
the driver. (c) The impulse 𝑱 on the driver
during the collision.
 Impulse and Collisions
Sample Problem 9.04
Race car–wall collision. Figure 9-11a is an overhead view of the path
taken by a race car driver as his car collides with the racetrack wall. Just
before the collision, he is traveling at speed 𝑣i = 70 m/s along a straight
line at 30° from the wall. Just after the collision, he is traveling at speed
𝑣f = 50 m/s along a straight line at 10° from the wall. His mass 𝑚 is 80 kg. Surviving: Mechanical engineers attempt to reduce the
chances of a fatality by designing and building racetrack
(b) The collision lasts for 14 ms. What is the magnitude of the average walls with more “give,” so that a collision lasts longer. For
force on the driver during the collision? example, if the collision here lasted 10 times longer and the
other data remained the same, the magnitudes of the average
force and average acceleration would be 10 times less and
probably survivable.

Figure 9-11 (a) Overhead view of the path

taken by a race car and its driver as the car
slams into the racetrack wall. (b) The initial
momentum 𝒑i and final momentum 𝒑f of
the driver. (c) The impulse 𝑱 on the driver
during the collision.
Conservation of Linear Momentum

If no net external force acts on a system of particles, the total linear momentum 𝑷
of the system cannot change.

If the component of the net external force on a closed system is zero along an axis, then
the component of the linear momentum of the system along that axis cannot change.
When Is Linear Momentum Conserved?

[Link] [Link]
resources/stem-in-context/billiards-and-collisions cradle_animation_book_2.gif
When Is Linear Momentum Conserved?

Only the momentum component

orthogonal/perpendicular to the
net force vector is conserved.

[Link] [Link]
resources/stem-in-context/billiards-and-collisions cradle_animation_book_2.gif
 Conservation of Linear Momentum
Sample Problem 9.05
One-dimensional explosion: Figure 9-12a shows a space hauler and cargo
module, of total mass M, traveling along an x axis in deep space. They
have an initial velocity 𝒗i of magnitude 2100 km/h relative to the Sun.
With a small explosion, the hauler ejects the cargo module, of mass 0.20𝑀
(Fig. 9-12b). The hauler then travels 500 km/h faster than the module
along the 𝑥 axis; that is, the relative speed 𝑣rel between the hauler and the
module is 500 km/h. What then is the velocity 𝒗HS of the hauler relative to
the Sun?
Equal linear momenta as no net
force during the explosion,
assuming no other celestial Figure 9-12 (a) A space hauler, with a cargo module, moving
bodies attract the system. at initial velocity 𝒗i (b) The hauler has ejected the cargo
module. Now the velocities relative to the Sun are 𝒗MS for
the module and 𝒗HS for the hauler.
Inelastic Collisions
❖Momentum conserved (no net external force).
❖Kinetic energy not conserved.
Perfectly/Completely-Inelastic Collisions
❖Momentum conserved (no net external force).
❖Kinetic energy not conserved.
❖Objects stick together.

𝑣2i = 0, 𝑣1f = 𝑣2f = 𝑉

 Bullet-Block Collision
Sample Problem 9.07 Gravitational force
The ballistic pendulum was used to measure the speeds of bullets before acts downwards so
electronic timing devices were developed. The version shown in Fig. 9-17 only the horizontal
consists of a large block of wood of mass 𝑀 = 5.4 kg, hanging from two momentum component
long cords. A bullet of mass 𝑚 = 9.5 g is fired into the block, coming is conserved!
quickly to rest. The block + bullet then swing upward, their center of mass
rising a vertical distance ℎ = 6.3 cm before the pendulum comes
momentarily to rest at the end of its arc. What is the speed of the bullet just
prior to the collision?

Figure 9-17 A ballistic

pendulum, used to
During collision measure the speeds
of bullets.

After collision
Elastic Collisions
❖Momentum conserved (no net external force).
❖Kinetic energy is conserved.
Elastic Collisions (Special Cases)

➢ Stationary target (𝑣2i = 0):

1. Equal masses (𝑚1 = 𝑚2 ):

2. Massive target (𝑚1 ≪ 𝑚2 ):

(E.g. A particle hitting
a stationary wall.)

3. Massive projectile (𝑚1 ≫ 𝑚2 ):

Center of Mass (Elastic Collisions)
❖Center of mass always travel at constant
velocity throughout the collision process.

1. Equal masses (𝑚1 = 𝑚2 ):

2. Massive target (𝑚1 ≪ 𝑚2 ):

3. Massive projectile (𝑚1 ≫ 𝑚2 ):

Center of Mass (Elastic Collisions)
❖Center of mass always travel at constant
velocity throughout the collision process.

1. Equal masses (𝑚1 = 𝑚2 ):

2. Massive target (𝑚1 ≪ 𝑚2 ):

3. Massive projectile (𝑚1 ≫ 𝑚2 ):

Center of Mass (Elastic Collisions)
❖Center of mass always travel at constant
velocity throughout the collision process.

1. Equal masses (𝑚1 = 𝑚2 ):

2. Massive target (𝑚1 ≪ 𝑚2 ):

3. Massive projectile (𝑚1 ≫ 𝑚2 ):

Center of Mass (Inelastic Collisions)
❖Center of mass always travel at constant
velocity throughout the collision process.
 Elastic-Collision Chain
Sample Problem 9.08
In Fig. 9-20a, block 1 approaches a line of two stationary blocks with a
velocity of 𝑣1i = 10 m/s. It collides with block 2, which then collides
with block 3, which has mass 𝑚3 = 6.0 kg. After the second collision,
block 2 is again stationary and block 3 has velocity 𝑣3f = 5.0 m/s (Fig.
9-20b). Assume that the collisions are elastic. What are the masses of
blocks 1 and 2? What is the final velocity 𝑣1f of block 1?

𝑣2f = 0 Figure 9-20 Block 1 collides with stationary block 2, which then
Second collides with stationary block 3.
collision

The 𝑣2i for the

First second collision.
collision
Collisions in 2D
Conservation of linear momentum

Only if kinetic energy is conserved (elastic)

Figure 9-21 An elastic collision between two bodies in

which the collision is not head-on. The body with mass
𝑚2 (the target) is initially at rest.
 Rocket Physics
• Momentum conservation
d𝑀 < 0,
𝑈: velocity of
product relative
to frame
• Relative motion after ejection

Liquefied fuel
consumption

Figure 9-22 (a) An accelerating rocket of mass 𝑀 at

time 𝑡, as seen from an inertial reference frame. (b) d𝑀
𝑅=−
The same but at time 𝑡 + d𝑡. The exhaust
Thrust d𝑡
products released during interval d𝑡 are shown.
 Rocket Physics

Solve the first

rocket equation

William Moore (1810, 1813),

Figure 9-22 (a) An accelerating rocket of mass 𝑀 at Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky (1903),
time 𝑡, as seen from an inertial reference frame. (b) Robert Hutchings Goddard (1912),
The same but at time 𝑡 + d𝑡. The exhaust Hermann Julius Oberth (1920).
products released during interval d𝑡 are shown.