Momentum, Collisions & Impulse

Front

What is momentum?

Back

Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity, represented by the formula p = mv, where p is momentum, m is mass, and v is velocity.

Front

What happens to momentum in a closed system during a collision?

Back

In a closed system, the total momentum before the collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision, according to the law of conservation of momentum.

Front

Define impulse.

Back

Impulse is the change in momentum of an object when a force is applied over a period of time, calculated as impulse = force × time.

Front

How does increasing collision time affect impact force?

Back

Increasing collision time decreases the impact force, as the same change in momentum is spread over a longer time period.

Front

What is the formula for calculating momentum?

Back

The formula for calculating momentum is p = mv, where p is momentum, m is mass, and v is velocity.

Front

If a 0.15 kg object is rolling at 2 m/s, what is its momentum?

Back

The momentum is p = mv = 0.15 kg × 2 m/s = 0.3 kg m/s.

Front

What is the effect of mass on momentum?

Back

Momentum increases with mass; a heavier object moving at the same velocity has greater momentum than a lighter object.

Front

What is the final speed of two colliding carts of equal mass moving towards each other with velocities of 2 m/s and -1 m/s?

Back

The final speed after the collision is 0.5 m/s.

Front

How do you calculate the total momentum of two objects before a collision?

Back

Total momentum is calculated by adding the momentum of each object: p_total = p1 + p2.

Front

What is the relationship between velocity and momentum?

Back

Momentum is directly proportional to velocity; if the velocity of an object increases, its momentum also increases.