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

A 0.25 kg ball at rest is kicked. The foot pushes it with an average force of 500 N for 2 ms. Find the speed v of the ball just after the kick.

m = 0.25 kgF_avg = 500 NΔt = 2 ms

v = m/s

2.Easy

A 3 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 5 g bullet at 350 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 3 kgm = 5 gv = 350 m/s

V = m/s

3.Medium

A 6 kg projectile moving horizontally at 35 m/s explodes into two fragments that move along the same line. The 1 kg fragment continues forwards at 77 m/s. Find the velocity v′₂ of the 5 kg fragment (positive in the original direction).

M = 6 kgu = 35 m/sm₁ = 1 kgv′₁ = 77 m/sm₂ = 5 kg

v′₂ = m/s

4.Medium

A 3.5 kg glider moving at 5 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 5 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′₂ of the second glider after the collision.

m₁ = 3.5 kgm₂ = 5 kgv₁ = 5 m/sv₂ = 0

v′₂ = m/s

5.Hard

A 0.2 kg ball hits a wall at 13 m/s and bounces straight back at 9 m/s. The contact lasts 50 ms. Find the average force F_avg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.2 kgv_in = 13 m/sv_out = 9 m/sΔt = 50 ms

F_avg = N

6.Hard

A 0.45 kg ball hits a wall at 28 m/s and bounces straight back at 17 m/s. The contact lasts 5 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.

m = 0.45 kgv_in = 28 m/sv_out = 17 m/sΔt = 5 ms

J = N·s

Answer key

1. v = 4 m/s
2. V = 0.5833 m/s
3. v′₂ = 26.6 m/s
4. v′₂ = 4.118 m/s
5. F_avg = 88 N
6. J = 20.25 N·s

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