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 kg700 m/sV = ?

A 4 kg rifle, free to move, fires a 15 g bullet at 700 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 4 kgm = 15 gv = 700 m/s
V = m/s
2.Easy
2000 kg11 m/s1500 kg

A 2000 kg car moving at 11 m/s runs into a stationary 1500 kg car. The cars lock together. Find their common velocity v′ just after the collision (positive in the first car’s direction).

m1 = 2000 kgv1 = 11 m/sm2 = 1500 kgv2 = 0 m/s
v′ = m/s
3.Medium
1 kgv = ?10 gh = 24 cm

A 10 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 24 cm higher than at the start. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 10 gM = 1 kgh = 24 cmg = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
4.Medium
2 kgv = ?15 gh = 10 cm

A 15 g bullet is fired horizontally into a 2 kg wooden block hanging on light strings, and stays inside it. The block swings up until it is 10 cm higher than at the start. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the speed v of the bullet before impact.

m = 15 gM = 2 kgh = 10 cmg = 9.81 m/s²
v = m/s
5.Hard
12 m/s12 m/s

A 0.2 kg ball hits a wall at 12 m/s and bounces straight back at 12 m/s. The contact lasts 10 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.2 kgvin = 12 m/svout = 12 m/sΔt = 10 ms
Favg = N
6.Hard
14 m/s10 m/s

A 0.55 kg ball hits a wall at 14 m/s and bounces straight back at 10 m/s. The contact lasts 5 ms. Find the average force Favg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.55 kgvin = 14 m/svout = 10 m/sΔt = 5 ms
Favg = N

Answer key

  1. 1. V = 2.625 m/s
  2. 2. v′ = 6.286 m/s
  3. 3. v = 219.2 m/s
  4. 4. v = 188.2 m/s
  5. 5. Favg = 480 N
  6. 6. Favg = 2640 N

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