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 kg850 m/sV = ?

A 5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 10 g bullet at 850 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 5 kgm = 10 gv = 850 m/s
V = m/s
2.Easy
5.5 kg450 m/sV = ?

A 5.5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 15 g bullet at 450 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 5.5 kgm = 15 gv = 450 m/s
V = m/s
3.Medium
8 kg91 m/s9 kgv′2​ = ?

A 17 kg projectile moving horizontally at 40 m/s explodes into two fragments that move along the same line. The 8 kg fragment continues forwards at 91 m/s. Find the velocity v′2 of the 9 kg fragment (positive in the original direction).

M = 17 kgu = 40 m/sm1 = 8 kgv′1 = 91 m/sm2 = 9 kg
v′2 = m/s
4.Medium
1 kg3 m/s5 kg

A 1 kg glider moving at 3 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 = 1 kgm2 = 5 kgv1 = 3 m/sv2 = 0
v′1 = m/s
5.Hard
15 m/s12 m/s

A 0.25 kg ball hits a wall at 15 m/s and bounces straight back at 12 m/s. The contact lasts 25 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.25 kgvin = 15 m/svout = 12 m/sΔt = 25 ms
Favg = N
6.Hard
900 kgv1​ = ?1100 kg

A 900 kg car runs into a parked 1100 kg car. The wrecks lock together and skid 8.5 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 = 900 kgm2 = 1100 kgd = 8.5 mμ = 0.75g = 9.81 m/s²
v1 = m/s

Answer key

  1. 1. V = 1.7 m/s
  2. 2. V = 1.227 m/s
  3. 3. v′2 = −5.333 m/s
  4. 4. v′1 = −2 m/s
  5. 5. Favg = 270 N
  6. 6. v1 = 24.85 m/s

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