1.Easy
A 2.5 kg trolley moving at 3 m/s runs into a 5 kg trolley at rest. After the collision the first trolley is at rest. Find the velocity v′2 of the second trolley.
m1 = 2.5 kgv1 = 3 m/sm2 = 5 kgv′1 = 0 m/s
v′2 = m/s
Momentum & collisions worksheet with answers
2.Easy
A 900 kg car moving at 17 m/s collides head-on with a 1200 kg car moving at 12 m/s in the opposite direction. The cars lock together. Find their common velocity v′ just after the collision (positive in the first car’s direction).
m1 = 900 kgv1 = 17 m/sm2 = 1200 kgv2 = −12 m/s
v′ = m/s
3.Medium
A 12 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 2.5 kg wooden block hanging on light strings, and stays inside it. The block swings up until it is 3 cm higher than at the start. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.
m = 12 gM = 2.5 kgh = 3 cmg = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
4.Medium
A 3 kg glider moving at 11 m/s makes a perfectly elastic head-on collision with a 4 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 = 3 kgm2 = 4 kgv1 = 11 m/sv2 = 0
v′1 = m/s
5.Hard
A 0.3 kg ball hits a wall at 22 m/s and bounces straight back at 4 m/s. The contact lasts 50 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.
m = 0.3 kgvin = 22 m/svout = 4 m/sΔt = 50 ms
J = N·s
6.Hard
A 0.3 kg ball hits a wall at 17 m/s and bounces straight back at 6 m/s. The contact lasts 5 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.
m = 0.3 kgvin = 17 m/svout = 6 m/sΔt = 5 ms
J = N·s
Answer key
- 1. v′2 = 1.5 m/s
- 2. v′ = 0.4286 m/s
- 3. v = 160.6 m/s
- 4. v′1 = −1.571 m/s
- 5. J = 7.8 N·s
- 6. J = 6.9 N·s
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