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
3 kg900 m/sV = ?

A 3 kg rifle, free to move, fires an 8 g bullet at 900 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 3 kgm = 8 gv = 900 m/s
V = m/s
2.Easy
4 kg800 m/sV = ?

A 4 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 12 g bullet at 800 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 4 kgm = 12 gv = 800 m/s
V = m/s
3.Medium
2 kg5 m/s1 kg

A 2 kg glider moving at 5 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 = 2 kgm2 = 1 kgv1 = 5 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
4.Medium
4 kg7 m/s1 kg

A 4 kg glider moving at 7 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 = 4 kgm2 = 1 kgv1 = 7 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
5.Hard
1600 kgv1​ = ?1400 kg

A 1600 kg car runs into a parked 1400 kg car. The wrecks lock together and skid 9.5 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 = 1600 kgm2 = 1400 kgd = 9.5 mμ = 0.75g = 9.81 m/s²
v1 = m/s
6.Hard
8 m/s19 m/s

A 0.4 kg ball hits a wall at 8 m/s and bounces straight back at 19 m/s. The contact lasts 25 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.4 kgvin = 8 m/svout = 19 m/sΔt = 25 ms
Favg = N

Answer key

  1. 1. V = 2.4 m/s
  2. 2. V = 2.4 m/s
  3. 3. v′2 = 6.667 m/s
  4. 4. v′2 = 11.2 m/s
  5. 5. v1 = 22.17 m/s
  6. 6. Favg = 432 N

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