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
4.5 kg400 m/sV = ?

A 4.5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 10 g bullet at 400 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 4.5 kgm = 10 gv = 400 m/s
V = m/s
2.Easy
0.5 kg5 m/s5 kg

A 0.5 kg trolley moving at 5 m/s runs into a 5 kg trolley at rest. After the collision the first trolley is at rest. Find the velocity v′2 of the second trolley.

m1 = 0.5 kgv1 = 5 m/sm2 = 5 kgv′1 = 0 m/s
v′2 = m/s
3.Medium
0.5 kg9 m/s4 kg

A 0.5 kg glider moving at 9 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 4 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′2 of the second glider after the collision.

m1 = 0.5 kgm2 = 4 kgv1 = 9 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
4.Medium
1 kg4 m/s3 kg

A 1 kg glider moving at 4 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 3 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′2 of the second glider after the collision.

m1 = 1 kgm2 = 3 kgv1 = 4 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
5.Hard
4.5 kgv = ?5 g25°L = 0.8 m

A 5 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 4.5 kg block hanging from light strings 0.8 m long, and stays in it. The strings swing out to a largest angle of 25° from the vertical. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 5 gM = 4.5 kgL = 0.8 mθ = 25°g = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
6.Hard
3.5 kgv = ?5 g15°L = 1.3 m

A 5 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 3.5 kg block hanging from light strings 1.3 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 = 5 gM = 3.5 kgL = 1.3 mθ = 15°g = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s

Answer key

  1. 1. V = 0.8889 m/s
  2. 2. v′2 = 0.5 m/s
  3. 3. v′2 = 2 m/s
  4. 4. v′2 = 2 m/s
  5. 5. v = 1093 m/s
  6. 6. v = 653.5 m/s

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