Momentum & collisions worksheet with answers

Free printable Momentum & collisions worksheet: 6 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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1.Easy
3 kg650 m/sV = ?

A 3 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 12 g bullet at 650 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 3 kgm = 12 gv = 650 m/s
V = m/s
2.Easy
1500 kg6 m/s900 kg12 m/s

A 1500 kg car moving at 6 m/s collides head-on with a 900 kg car moving at 12 m/s in the opposite direction. The cars lock together. Find their common velocity v′ just after the collision (positive in the first car’s direction).

m1 = 1500 kgv1 = 6 m/sm2 = 900 kgv2 = −12 m/s
v′ = m/s
3.Medium
1.5 kgv = ?8 gh = 13 cm

An 8 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 1.5 kg wooden block hanging on light strings, and stays inside it. The block swings up until it is 13 cm higher than at the start. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 8 gM = 1.5 kgh = 13 cmg = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
4.Medium
1200 kg16 m/s1400 kg

A 1200 kg car moving at 16 m/s runs into a stationary 1400 kg car and the two lock together. How much kinetic energy ΔK is lost in the collision?

m1 = 1200 kgv1 = 16 m/sm2 = 1400 kgv2 = 0
ΔK = J
5.Hard
4.5 kgv = ?20 g15°L = 2 m

A 20 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 4.5 kg block hanging from light strings 2 m long, and stays in it. The strings swing out to a largest angle of 15° from the vertical. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 20 gM = 4.5 kgL = 2 mθ = 15°g = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
6.Hard
2 kgv = ?10 g10°L = 1.1 m

A 10 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 2 kg block hanging from light strings 1.1 m long, and stays in it. The strings swing out to a largest angle of 10° from the vertical. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 10 gM = 2 kgL = 1.1 mθ = 10°g = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s

Answer key

  1. 1. V = 2.6 m/s
  2. 2. v′ = −0.75 m/s
  3. 3. v = 301 m/s
  4. 4. ΔK = 82708 J
  5. 5. v = 261.3 m/s
  6. 6. v = 115.1 m/s

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