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 4 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 4 g bullet at 350 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 4 kgm = 4 gv = 350 m/s

V = m/s

2.Easy

A 3.5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 12 g bullet at 300 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 3.5 kgm = 12 gv = 300 m/s

V = m/s

3.Medium

A 1800 kg car moving at 18 m/s runs into a stationary 1900 kg car and the two lock together. How much kinetic energy ΔK is lost in the collision?

m₁ = 1800 kgv₁ = 18 m/sm₂ = 1900 kgv₂ = 0

ΔK = J

4.Medium

A 5 kg glider moving at 8 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 1.5 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).

m₁ = 5 kgm₂ = 1.5 kgv₁ = 8 m/sv₂ = 0

v′₁ = m/s

5.Hard

A 0.55 kg ball hits a wall at 25 m/s and bounces straight back at 4 m/s. The contact lasts 20 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.

m = 0.55 kgv_in = 25 m/sv_out = 4 m/sΔt = 20 ms

J = N·s

6.Hard

At a crossing a 1400 kg car travelling east at 24 m/s collides with a 900 kg car travelling north at 12 m/s. The cars lock together. Find the direction θ of the wreck just after the collision, measured north of east.

m₁ = 1400 kgv₁ = 24 m/s (E)m₂ = 900 kgv₂ = 12 m/s (N)

θ = °

Answer key

1. V = 0.35 m/s
2. V = 1.029 m/s
3. ΔK = 149741 J
4. v′₁ = 4.308 m/s
5. J = 15.95 N·s
6. θ = 17.82 °

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