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
5 kg5 m/s2 kg

A 5 kg trolley moving at 5 m/s runs into a 2 kg trolley at rest. After the collision the first trolley continues in the same direction at 3 m/s. Find the velocity v′2 of the second trolley.

m1 = 5 kgv1 = 5 m/sm2 = 2 kgv′1 = 3 m/s
v′2 = m/s
2.Easy
1200 kg5 m/s600 kg15 m/s

A 1200 kg car moving at 5 m/s collides head-on with a 600 kg car moving at 15 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 = 1200 kgv1 = 5 m/sm2 = 600 kgv2 = −15 m/s
v′ = m/s
3.Medium
3 kg4 m/s4.5 kg

A 3 kg glider moving at 4 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 4.5 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 = 3 kgm2 = 4.5 kgv1 = 4 m/sv2 = 0
v′1 = m/s
4.Medium
3.5 kg8 m/s1 kg

A 3.5 kg glider moving at 8 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 1 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′2 of the second glider after the collision.

m1 = 3.5 kgm2 = 1 kgv1 = 8 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
5.Hard
11 m/s13 m/s

A 0.25 kg ball hits a wall at 11 m/s and bounces straight back at 13 m/s. The contact lasts 5 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.25 kgvin = 11 m/svout = 13 m/sΔt = 5 ms
Favg = N
6.Hard
19 m/s20 m/s

A 0.3 kg ball hits a wall at 19 m/s and bounces straight back at 20 m/s. The contact lasts 5 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.

m = 0.3 kgvin = 19 m/svout = 20 m/sΔt = 5 ms
J = N·s

Answer key

  1. 1. v′2 = 5 m/s
  2. 2. v′ = −1.667 m/s
  3. 3. v′1 = −0.8 m/s
  4. 4. v′2 = 12.44 m/s
  5. 5. Favg = 1200 N
  6. 6. J = 11.7 N·s

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