Phy 101 Lecture10 (Momentum and Collisions)
Phy 101 Lecture10 (Momentum and Collisions)
Phy 101 Lecture10 (Momentum and Collisions)
INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS I
Lecture 2
Last Lecture
Fx
• Work for non-constant force
Momentum
and
Collisions
Momentum
r
Definition: p mv
v
Newton’s 2nd Law: Fm
t
p
F
t
Conservation of Momentum
Proof:
Recall F12=-F21, (Newton’s 3rd Law)
px mvx
py mvy
Example 1
An astronaut of mass 80 kg
pushes away from a space
station by throwing a 0.75-kg
wrench which moves with a
velocity of 24 m/s relative to
the original frame of the
astronaut. What is the
astronaut’s recoil speed?
0.225 m/s
Center of mass does not
accelerate
m1 x1 m2 x2 m3 x3 ...
Xcm
(m1 m2 m3 ...)
m1x1 m2 x2 m3x3 ...
Xcm
(m1 m2 m3 ...)
m1 (x1 / t) m2 (x2 / t) m3 (x3 / t) ...
t
(m1 m2 m3 ...)
p1 p2 p3 ...
t
(m1 m2 m3 ...)
0 if total P iszero
Example 2
Ted and his ice-boat (combined mass = 240 kg) rest on the
frictionless surface of a frozen lake. A heavy rope (mass
of 80 kg and length of 100 m) is laid out in a line along
the top of the lake. Initially, Ted and the rope are at
rest. At time t=0, Ted turns on a wench which winds 0.5
m of rope onto the boat every second.
a) What is Ted’s velocity just after the wench turns on?
0.125 m/s
b) What is the velocity of the rope at the same time?
-0.375 m/s
c) What is the Ted’s speed just as the rope finishes?
0
d) How far did the center-of-mass of Ted+boat+rope move
0
e) How far did Ted move?
12.5 m
f) How far did the center-of-mass of the rope move?
-37.5 m
Example 3
A 1967 Corvette of mass
1450 kg moving with a
velocity of 100 mph
(= 44.7 m/s) slides on a
slick street and collides
with a Hummer of mass
3250 kg which is parked on
the side of the street. The
two vehicles interlock and
slide off together. What is
the speed of the two 13.8 m/s =30.9 mph
vehicles immediately after
they join?
Impulse
Impulse Ft p
Useful for sudden changes where the exact details of the
force are difficult to determine
For non-constant F,
Impulse = Area under F vs. t curve
Example 4 A pitcher throws a 0.145-kg baseball
so that it crosses home plate
horizontally with a speed of 40 m/s.
It is hit straight back at the pitcher
with a final speed of 50 m/s.
• Classification of collisions:
• ELASTIC
• Both energy & momentum are conserved
• INELASTIC
• Momentum conserved, not energy
• Perfectly inelastic -> objects stick
• Lost energy goes to heat
Examples of Perfectly
Inelastic Collisions
• Catching a baseball
• Football tackle
• Cars colliding and sticking
• Bat eating an insect
Examples of Perfectly
Elastic Collisions
• Super-ball bouncing
• Electron scattering
Example 5
v1i v1 f v 2 f v 2i
v1i v 2i v1 f v 2 f
Elastic collision in 1-
dimension
Final equations for head-on elastic collision:
• Relative velocity changes sign