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
1400 kg22 m/s1600 kg14 m/s

A 1400 kg car moving at 22 m/s collides head-on with a 1600 kg car moving at 14 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 = 1400 kgv1 = 22 m/sm2 = 1600 kgv2 = −14 m/s
v′ = m/s
2.Easy
1900 kg12 m/s600 kg

A 1900 kg car moving at 12 m/s runs into a stationary 600 kg car. The cars lock together. Find their common velocity v′ just after the collision (positive in the first car’s direction).

m1 = 1900 kgv1 = 12 m/sm2 = 600 kgv2 = 0 m/s
v′ = m/s
3.Medium
5 kg3 m/s2.5 kg

A 5 kg glider moving at 3 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 2.5 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′2 of the second glider after the collision.

m1 = 5 kgm2 = 2.5 kgv1 = 3 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
4.Medium
1.5 kg8 m/s3 kg

A 1.5 kg glider moving at 8 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 = 1.5 kgm2 = 3 kgv1 = 8 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
5.Hard
800 kgv1​ = ?1900 kg

An 800 kg car runs into a parked 1900 kg car. The wrecks lock together and skid 12 m before stopping. The coefficient of kinetic friction between tyres and road is 0.7. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v1 of the first car just before the collision.

m1 = 800 kgm2 = 1900 kgd = 12 mμ = 0.7g = 9.81 m/s²
v1 = m/s
6.Hard
22 m/s19 m/s

A 0.3 kg ball hits a wall at 22 m/s and bounces straight back at 19 m/s. The contact lasts 40 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.

m = 0.3 kgvin = 22 m/svout = 19 m/sΔt = 40 ms
J = N·s

Answer key

  1. 1. v′ = 2.8 m/s
  2. 2. v′ = 9.12 m/s
  3. 3. v′2 = 4 m/s
  4. 4. v′2 = 5.333 m/s
  5. 5. v1 = 43.33 m/s
  6. 6. J = 12.3 N·s

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