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 0.45 kg ball at rest is kicked. The foot pushes it with an average force of 600 N for 10 ms. Find the speed v of the ball just after the kick.

m = 0.45 kgF_avg = 600 NΔt = 10 ms

v = m/s

2.Easy

A 1700 kg car moving at 7 m/s collides head-on with a 900 kg car moving at 3 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 = 1700 kgv₁ = 7 m/sm₂ = 900 kgv₂ = −3 m/s

v′ = m/s

3.Medium

A 1600 kg car moving at 5 m/s runs into a stationary 600 kg car and the two lock together. How much kinetic energy ΔK is lost in the collision?

m₁ = 1600 kgv₁ = 5 m/sm₂ = 600 kgv₂ = 0

ΔK = J

4.Medium

A 0.5 kg glider moving at 9 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′₂ of the second glider after the collision.

m₁ = 0.5 kgm₂ = 1.5 kgv₁ = 9 m/sv₂ = 0

v′₂ = m/s

5.Hard

A 0.5 kg ball hits a wall at 21 m/s and bounces straight back at 11 m/s. The contact lasts 40 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.

m = 0.5 kgv_in = 21 m/sv_out = 11 m/sΔt = 40 ms

J = N·s

6.Hard

A 0.5 kg ball hits a wall at 20 m/s and bounces straight back at 7 m/s. The contact lasts 20 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.

m = 0.5 kgv_in = 20 m/sv_out = 7 m/sΔt = 20 ms

J = N·s

Answer key

1. v = 13.33 m/s
2. v′ = 3.538 m/s
3. ΔK = 5455 J
4. v′₂ = 4.5 m/s
5. J = 16 N·s
6. J = 13.5 N·s

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