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
1200 kg10 m/s1300 kg

A 1200 kg car moving at 10 m/s runs into a stationary 1300 kg car. The cars lock together. Find their common velocity v′ just after the collision (positive in the first car’s direction).

m1 = 1200 kgv1 = 10 m/sm2 = 1300 kgv2 = 0 m/s
v′ = m/s
2.Easy
5.5 kg750 m/sV = ?

A 5.5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 10 g bullet at 750 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 5.5 kgm = 10 gv = 750 m/s
V = m/s
3.Medium
3.5 kg11 m/s4.5 kg

A 3.5 kg glider moving at 11 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′2 of the second glider after the collision.

m1 = 3.5 kgm2 = 4.5 kgv1 = 11 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
4.Medium
4.5 kgv = ?20 gh = 17 cm

A 20 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 4.5 kg wooden block hanging on light strings, and stays inside it. The block swings up until it is 17 cm higher than at the start. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 20 gM = 4.5 kgh = 17 cmg = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
5.Hard
30 m/s13 m/s

A 0.6 kg ball hits a wall at 30 m/s and bounces straight back at 13 m/s. The contact lasts 20 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.6 kgvin = 30 m/svout = 13 m/sΔt = 20 ms
Favg = N
6.Hard
28 m/s15 m/s

A 0.5 kg ball hits a wall at 28 m/s and bounces straight back at 15 m/s. The contact lasts 25 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.5 kgvin = 28 m/svout = 15 m/sΔt = 25 ms
Favg = N

Answer key

  1. 1. v′ = 4.8 m/s
  2. 2. V = 1.364 m/s
  3. 3. v′2 = 9.625 m/s
  4. 4. v = 412.7 m/s
  5. 5. Favg = 1290 N
  6. 6. Favg = 860 N

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