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
0.1 kgv = ?

A 0.1 kg ball at rest is kicked. The foot pushes it with an average force of 400 N for 10 ms. Find the speed v of the ball just after the kick.

m = 0.1 kgFavg = 400 NΔt = 10 ms
v = m/s
2.Easy
0.35 kgv = ?

A 0.35 kg ball at rest is kicked. The foot pushes it with an average force of 250 N for 15 ms. Find the speed v of the ball just after the kick.

m = 0.35 kgFavg = 250 NΔt = 15 ms
v = m/s
3.Medium
4.5 kg2 m/s2.5 kg

A 4.5 kg glider moving at 2 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′1 of the first glider after the collision (positive in its original direction).

m1 = 4.5 kgm2 = 2.5 kgv1 = 2 m/sv2 = 0
v′1 = m/s
4.Medium
0.5 kg4 m/s5 kg

A 0.5 kg glider moving at 4 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 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 = 0.5 kgm2 = 5 kgv1 = 4 m/sv2 = 0
v′1 = m/s
5.Hard
10 m/s4 m/s

A 0.15 kg ball hits a wall at 10 m/s and bounces straight back at 4 m/s. The contact lasts 20 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.

m = 0.15 kgvin = 10 m/svout = 4 m/sΔt = 20 ms
J = N·s
6.Hard
4 kgv = ?20 g25°L = 0.6 m

A 20 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 4 kg block hanging from light strings 0.6 m long, and stays in it. The strings swing out to a largest angle of 25° from the vertical. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 20 gM = 4 kgL = 0.6 mθ = 25°g = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s

Answer key

  1. 1. v = 40 m/s
  2. 2. v = 10.71 m/s
  3. 3. v′1 = 0.5714 m/s
  4. 4. v′1 = −3.273 m/s
  5. 5. J = 2.1 N·s
  6. 6. v = 211.1 m/s

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