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
5.5 kg600 m/sV = ?

A 5.5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 4 g bullet at 600 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 5.5 kgm = 4 gv = 600 m/s
V = m/s
2.Easy
4.5 kg3.5 m/s5 kg

A 4.5 kg trolley moving at 3.5 m/s runs into a 5 kg trolley at rest. After the collision the first trolley is at rest. Find the velocity v′2 of the second trolley.

m1 = 4.5 kgv1 = 3.5 m/sm2 = 5 kgv′1 = 0 m/s
v′2 = m/s
3.Medium
3.5 kg3 m/s2.5 kg

A 3.5 kg glider moving at 3 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 2.5 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′2 of the second glider after the collision.

m1 = 3.5 kgm2 = 2.5 kgv1 = 3 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
4.Medium
2 kg37 m/s14 kgv′2​ = ?

A 16 kg projectile moving horizontally at 18 m/s explodes into two fragments that move along the same line. The 2 kg fragment continues forwards at 37 m/s. Find the velocity v′2 of the 14 kg fragment (positive in the original direction).

M = 16 kgu = 18 m/sm1 = 2 kgv′1 = 37 m/sm2 = 14 kg
v′2 = m/s
5.Hard
1400 kgv1​ = ?1200 kg

A 1400 kg car runs into a parked 1200 kg car. The wrecks lock together and skid 14 m before stopping. The coefficient of kinetic friction between tyres and road is 0.7. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v1 of the first car just before the collision.

m1 = 1400 kgm2 = 1200 kgd = 14 mμ = 0.7g = 9.81 m/s²
v1 = m/s
6.Hard
1800 kgv1​ = ?1900 kg

A 1800 kg car runs into a parked 1900 kg car. The wrecks lock together and skid 6 m before stopping. The coefficient of kinetic friction between tyres and road is 0.75. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v1 of the first car just before the collision.

m1 = 1800 kgm2 = 1900 kgd = 6 mμ = 0.75g = 9.81 m/s²
v1 = m/s

Answer key

  1. 1. V = 0.4364 m/s
  2. 2. v′2 = 3.15 m/s
  3. 3. v′2 = 3.5 m/s
  4. 4. v′2 = 15.29 m/s
  5. 5. v1 = 25.75 m/s
  6. 6. v1 = 19.31 m/s

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