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
4.5 kg250 m/sV = ?

A 4.5 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 15 g bullet at 250 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 4.5 kgm = 15 gv = 250 m/s
V = m/s
2.Easy
4 kg8 m/s2.5 kg

A 4 kg trolley moving at 8 m/s runs into a 2.5 kg trolley at rest. After the collision the first trolley continues in the same direction at 3 m/s. Find the velocity v′2 of the second trolley.

m1 = 4 kgv1 = 8 m/sm2 = 2.5 kgv′1 = 3 m/s
v′2 = m/s
3.Medium
1 kgv = ?15 gh = 18 cm

A 15 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 1 kg wooden block hanging on light strings, and stays inside it. The block swings up until it is 18 cm higher than at the start. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 15 gM = 1 kgh = 18 cmg = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
4.Medium
4 kg6 m/s0.5 kg

A 4 kg glider moving at 6 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 0.5 kg glider at rest on a frictionless track. Find the velocity v′2 of the second glider after the collision.

m1 = 4 kgm2 = 0.5 kgv1 = 6 m/sv2 = 0
v′2 = m/s
5.Hard
3.5 kgv = ?12 g10°L = 0.9 m

A 12 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 3.5 kg block hanging from light strings 0.9 m long, and stays in it. The strings swing out to a largest angle of 10° from the vertical. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 12 gM = 3.5 kgL = 0.9 mθ = 10°g = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
6.Hard
1.5 kgv = ?8 g25°L = 0.6 m

An 8 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 1.5 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 = 8 gM = 1.5 kgL = 0.6 mθ = 25°g = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s

Answer key

  1. 1. V = 0.8333 m/s
  2. 2. v′2 = 8 m/s
  3. 3. v = 127.2 m/s
  4. 4. v′2 = 10.67 m/s
  5. 5. v = 151.6 m/s
  6. 6. v = 198 m/s

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