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 5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 12 g bullet at 700 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 5 kgm = 12 gv = 700 m/s

V = m/s

2.Easy

A 5.5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 15 g bullet at 900 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 5.5 kgm = 15 gv = 900 m/s

V = m/s

3.Medium

A 4.5 kg glider moving at 7 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 3.5 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′₂ of the second glider after the collision.

m₁ = 4.5 kgm₂ = 3.5 kgv₁ = 7 m/sv₂ = 0

v′₂ = m/s

4.Medium

A 10 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 5 kg wooden block hanging on light strings, and stays inside it. The block swings up until it is 20 cm higher than at the start. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 10 gM = 5 kgh = 20 cmg = 9.81 m/s²

v = m/s

5.Hard

A 0.35 kg ball hits a wall at 29 m/s and bounces straight back at 11 m/s. The contact lasts 25 ms. Find the average force F_avg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.35 kgv_in = 29 m/sv_out = 11 m/sΔt = 25 ms

F_avg = N

6.Hard

At a crossing a 1900 kg car travelling east at 9 m/s collides with a 1200 kg car travelling north at 19 m/s. The cars lock together. Find the speed v′ of the wreck just after the collision.

m₁ = 1900 kgv₁ = 9 m/s (E)m₂ = 1200 kgv₂ = 19 m/s (N)

v′ = m/s

Answer key

1. V = 1.68 m/s
2. V = 2.455 m/s
3. v′₂ = 7.875 m/s
4. v = 992.4 m/s
5. F_avg = 560 N
6. v′ = 9.194 m/s

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