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

A 4 kg rifle, free to move, fires an 8 g bullet at 400 m/s. Both start at rest. Find the recoil speed V of the rifle.

M = 4 kgm = 8 gv = 400 m/s

V = m/s

2.Easy

A 1200 kg car moving at 5 m/s collides head-on with a 2000 kg car moving at 8 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 = 1200 kgv₁ = 5 m/sm₂ = 2000 kgv₂ = −8 m/s

v′ = m/s

3.Medium

A 1500 kg car moving at 20 m/s runs into a stationary 1000 kg car and the two lock together. What percentage ΔK/K of the original kinetic energy is lost?

m₁ = 1500 kgv₁ = 20 m/sm₂ = 1000 kgv₂ = 0

ΔK/K = %

4.Medium

A 4.5 kg glider moving at 11 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 = 4.5 kgm₂ = 5 kgv₁ = 11 m/sv₂ = 0

v′₁ = m/s

5.Hard

A 0.2 kg ball hits a wall at 24 m/s and bounces straight back at 19 m/s. The contact lasts 50 ms. Find the average force F_avg of the wall on the ball.

m = 0.2 kgv_in = 24 m/sv_out = 19 m/sΔt = 50 ms

F_avg = N

6.Hard

A 0.45 kg ball hits a wall at 24 m/s and bounces straight back at 16 m/s. The contact lasts 40 ms. Find the magnitude of the impulse J the wall gives the ball.

m = 0.45 kgv_in = 24 m/sv_out = 16 m/sΔt = 40 ms

J = N·s

Answer key

1. V = 0.8 m/s
2. v′ = −3.125 m/s
3. ΔK/K = 40 %
4. v′₁ = −0.5789 m/s
5. F_avg = 172 N
6. J = 18 N·s

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