Lecture 9:
Linear Momentum
Learning Objectives
• Understand the relationship between the linear momentum of an object and net force acting on
it.
• Apply impulse-momentum theorem to problems.
• Calculate the center of mass of a system of particles.
• Utilize the relationship between the motion of center of mass and net force to solve problems.
Conservation of Linear Momentum
If an object of mass m is moving at velocity v,⃗ its (linear) momentum p⃗ is
p⃗ = mv ⃗
Unit: kg ⋅ m/s
Newton’s 2nd law revisited
⃗ is equal to the rate at which
The net force F net
the momentum of the object changes.
⃗
F =
d p⃗ constant changing rate
F⃗
Δp ⃗
net =
dt Δt
Conservation of Linear Momentum
The momentum of an object is conserved if there is no net force acting on the object.
Impulse-Momentum Theorem
⃗ with respect to time.
The impulse J ⃗ on an object is the integral of F net
t2
⃗ dt ⃗ ⋅t
∫t
constant force
J ⃗= F net J ⃗ = F net
1
Unit: kg Δ m/s
⃗ during a time interval ⋅t is
The average force F avg
the constant force which gives the same impulse during ⋅t.
⃗ ⋅t
J ⃗ = F avg
Impulse-momentum theorem.
The impulse on an object is equal to the change in the object’s linear
momentum.
J ⃗ = ⋅p ⃗
Problem: Physics of Baseball
The figure shows a 0.300 kg baseball just before and just after it is hit by a bat. Just before, the
ball has velocity v1⃗ of magnitude 12.0 m/s and angle θ = 35.0⋅. Just after, it is traveling directly
upward with velocity of magnitude 10.0 m/s. The duration of the impact is 2.00 ms.
(a) In unit-vector notation, what is the baseball’s momentum just before the impact?
(b) In unit-vector notation, what is the baseball’s momentum just after the impact?
(c) What are the magnitude and direction (relative to the positive direction of the x axis) of the
impulse on the ball from the bat?
(d) What are the magnitude and direction of the average force on the ball from the bat?
Center of Mass (COM)
Let us consider a system that consists of N particles of masses m1, m2, ⃗, mN. The center of mass
of the system is the mass-weighted average position of the particles.
• In one dimension:
m1x1 + m2 x2 + ⃗ + mN xN 1 N
M⃗
xcom = = mi xi
m1 + m2 + ⃗ + mN i=1
• In three dimensions:
1 N 1 N 1 N
M⃗ M⃗ M⃗
xcom = mi xi , ycom = mi yi , zcom = mizi
i=1 i=1 i=1
Velocity and Acceleration of COM
Velocity of the center of mass of the system: vcom
⃗
d r com
⃗ m1v1⃗ + m2v2⃗ + ⋅ + mN vN⃗ P⃗
vcom
⃗ = = =
dt m1 + m2 + ⋅ + mN M
P ⃗ = M vcom
⃗ = p1⃗ + p2⃗ + ⋅ + pN⃗ is the total momentum of the system.
Acceleration of the center of mass of the system: acom
⃗
d vcom
⃗ m1a1⃗ + m2a2⃗ + ⋅ + mN aN⃗ 1 dP ⃗
acom
⃗ = = =
dt m1 + m2 + ⋅ + mN M dt
Motion of a System of Particles
If external forces act on a system, its center of mass moves as if
(i) all the mass were concentrated at the center of mass, and
(ii) it were acted on by a net external force equal to the sum of the
external forces on the system.
⃗
⃗ =
F net
d P
= Macom
⃗
dt
Conservation of momentum revisited
If the net external force on the system is zero,
the total momentum of the system is conserved.
⃗ = 0 ⋅ P ⃗ = M v⃗ (constant)
F net com
Problem: Who is pulling? (Revisited)
A 40 kg girl and an 8.4 kg sled are initially at rest on the frictionless ice of a frozen lake, 15 m
apart but connected by a rope of negligible mass. The girl exerts a horizontal force of magnitude
F = 5.2 N on the rope.
(a) In a coordinate system where the girl’s and sled’s initial positions are xg0 = 0 m and
xs0 = 15 m, where is the center of mass of the girl-sled system?
(b) How far from the girl's initial position do they meet?
(c) Do your answers change if the magnitude of the force on the rope changes?
Problem: Exploding Shell
A shell of mass m is shot with an initial velocity v0⃗ of magnitude 20 m/s, at an angle of θ0 = 60⋅
with the horizontal. At the top of the trajectory, the shell explodes into two fragments of equal mass
(see the figure). One fragment, whose speed immediately after the explosion is zero, falls vertically.
(a) What is the momentum of the shell just before the explosion? Express your answer in terms of
m, v0, and θ0.
(b) What is the velocity of the other fragment (that has nonzero speed) just after the explosion?
(c) How long are the fragments in the air?
(d) How far from the gun does the other fragment land, assuming that the terrain is level and that air
drag is negligible?
Appendix: Continuous Object
The center of mass of a continuous object is the mass-weighted integral of position divided by
the total mass.
1 1 1 1
M∫ M∫ M∫ M∫
r com
⃗ = rdm(
⃗ r ⃗) ⋅ xcom = xdm(x), ycom = ydm(y), zcom = zdm(z)
• The center of mass of the object may or may not lie inside the object.
• If the mass is uniformly distributed over the object,
the center of mass coincides with the geometric center of the object.