Momentum & collisions worksheet with answers

A 1900 kg car moving at 25 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).

A 1 kg trolley moving at 9.5 m/s runs into a 3 kg trolley at rest. After the collision the first trolley continues in the same direction at 1 m/s. Find the velocity v′₂ of the second trolley.

A 9 kg projectile moving horizontally at 34 m/s explodes into two fragments that move along the same line. The 6 kg fragment continues forwards at 48 m/s. Find the velocity v′₂ of the 3 kg fragment (positive in the original direction).

A 5 kg glider moving at 3 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 1 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′₁ of the first glider after the collision (positive in its original direction).

At a crossing an 800 kg car travelling east at 23 m/s collides with a 1300 kg car travelling north at 17 m/s. The cars lock together. Find the direction θ of the wreck just after the collision, measured north of east.

A 900 kg car runs into a parked 1000 kg car. The wrecks lock together and skid 12 m before stopping. The coefficient of kinetic friction between tyres and road is 0.5. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v₁ of the first car just before the collision.