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 kg700 m/sV = ?

A 4 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 5 g bullet at 700 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 4 kgm = 5 gv = 700 m/s
V = m/s
2.Easy
0.4 kgv = ?

A 0.4 kg ball at rest is kicked. The foot pushes it with an average force of 750 N for 15 ms. Find the speed v of the ball just after the kick.

m = 0.4 kgFavg = 750 NΔt = 15 ms
v = m/s
3.Medium
3 kg36 m/s7 kgv′2​ = ?

A 10 kg projectile moving horizontally at 27 m/s explodes into two fragments that move along the same line. The 3 kg fragment continues forwards at 36 m/s. Find the velocity v′2 of the 7 kg fragment (positive in the original direction).

M = 10 kgu = 27 m/sm1 = 3 kgv′1 = 36 m/sm2 = 7 kg
v′2 = m/s
4.Medium
1 kg5 m/s3 kg

A 1 kg glider moving at 5 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 = 5 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
5.Hard
800 kgv1​ = ?2000 kg

An 800 kg car runs into a parked 2000 kg car. The wrecks lock together and skid 7.5 m before stopping. The coefficient of kinetic friction between tyres and road is 0.6. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v1 of the first car just before the collision.

m1 = 800 kgm2 = 2000 kgd = 7.5 mμ = 0.6g = 9.81 m/s²
v1 = m/s
6.Hard
1100 kgv1​ = ?900 kg

A 1100 kg car runs into a parked 900 kg car. The wrecks lock together and skid 8.5 m before stopping. The coefficient of kinetic friction between tyres and road is 0.75. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v1 of the first car just before the collision.

m1 = 1100 kgm2 = 900 kgd = 8.5 mμ = 0.75g = 9.81 m/s²
v1 = m/s

Answer key

  1. 1. V = 0.875 m/s
  2. 2. v = 28.13 m/s
  3. 3. v′2 = 23.14 m/s
  4. 4. v′2 = 2.5 m/s
  5. 5. v1 = 32.89 m/s
  6. 6. v1 = 20.33 m/s

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