CAIE M1 Unit 4.

5 Momentum

When a particle with the mass, m and moves at velocity, v, the momentum of the particle =

If a constant force, F (N) is applied to a particle for a period of time, t (s),

the impulse to the particle by the force, I =

Newton’s 2nd Law: F = ma⇒ I =

Example 1

A ball of mass 0.25 kg hits a vertical wall with a horizontal speed 30 ms-1. It rebounds with a speed of 20 ms-1.
Find the impulse exerted by the wall on the ball.

 The principle of conservation of momentum

When two objects collide, each exert an impulse on the other of __________magnitude but
_________________ in direction.
before impact 𝑢1 𝑢2 𝐮1 = ±𝑢1

𝐈1 𝑚1 𝑚2 𝐈2 𝐮2 = ±𝑢2

after impact 𝑣1 𝑣2 𝐯1 = ±𝑣1

𝐈1 = −𝐈2 𝐯2 = ±𝑣2

CLM: 𝑚1 𝐮1 + 𝑚2 𝐮2 = 𝑚1 𝐯1 + 𝑚2 𝐯2
Example 2

A gun of mass 5 kg fires a bullet of mass 40 g. Given that the bullet leaves the gun with a speed of 500 ms-1,
find the initial speed of recoil of the gun.

Example 3

A railway truck A of mass m and a second railway truck B of mass 4m are moving in opposite directions on a
smooth straight horizontal track when they collide directly. Immediately before the collision the speed of truck
A is 3u and the speed of truck B is 2u. In the collision the trucks join together. Modelling the truck as particles,
find (a) the speed of A immediately after the collision,

(b) the direction of motion of A immediately after the collision,

Example 4

Particle P has mass 3 kg and particle Q has mass m kg. The particles are moving in opposite directions along a
smooth horizontal plane when they collide directly. Immediately before the collision, the speed of P is 4 ms-1
and the speed of Q is 3 ms-1. In the collision the direction of P is unchanged and the direction of Q is reversed.
Immediately after the collision, the speed of P is 1 ms-1 and the speed of Q is 1.5 ms-1.

Find the value of m.

Example 6: Question involves CLM, N2L and motion with constant acceleration

A wooden peg of mass 0.4 kg is driven vertically into the ground by a mallet of mass 2 kg moving vertically
downwards which drops from a height of 3.2 m above the ground. After the impact the mallet and peg remain
in contact. By modeling the peg and the mallet as particles,

(a) find the speed of the mallet just prior to impact.

(b) find the speed with which the peg begins to enter the ground.

If the ground offers a resistance to motion of 1 kN,

(c) find how far the peg is driven into the ground due to the impact.
Exercise 4D Momentum PYQ

1. Two particles P and Q of masses 0.2 kg and 0.3 kg respectively are free to move in a horizontal straight
line on a smooth horizontal plane. P is projected towards Q with speed 0.5ms−1. At the same instant
Q is projected towards P with speed 1ms−1. Q comes to rest in the resulting collision.
Find the speed of P after the collision. [3]

2.

A metal post is driven vertically into the ground by dropping a heavy object onto it from above. The
mass of the object is 120 kg and the mass of the post is 40 kg (see diagram). The object hits the post
with speed 8ms−1 and remains in contact with it after the impact.
(a) Calculate the speed with which the combined post and object moves immediately after the impact. [2]
(b) There is a constant force resisting the motion of magnitude 4800N. Calculate the distance the post is
driven into the ground. [3]

3. Two small smooth spheres A and B, of equal radii and of masses km kg and m kg respectively, where
k > 1, are free to move on a smooth horizontal plane. A is moving towards B with speed 6 ms−1
and B is moving towards A with speed 2ms−1. After the collision A and B coalesce and move with
speed 4 ms−1. Find k. [3]
4.

Particles P and Q have masses m kg and 2m kg respectively. The particles are initially held at rest
6.4 m apart on the same line of greatest slope of a rough plane inclined at an angle 𝛼 to the horizontal,
where sin 𝛼 = 0.8 (see diagram). Particle P is released from rest and slides down the line of greatest
slope. Simultaneously, particle Q is projected up the same line of greatest slope at a speed of 10ms−1.
The coefficient of friction between each particle and the plane is 0.6.
(a) Show that the acceleration of Q up the plane is −11.6ms−2. [4]
(b) Find the time for which the particles are in motion before they collide. [5]
(c) The particles coalesce on impact. Find the speed of the combined particle immediately after the
impact. [4]

5. Particles P of mass 0.4 kg and Q of mass 0.5 kg are free to move on a smooth horizontal plane. P and
Q are moving directly towards each other with speeds 2.5ms−1 and 1.5ms−1 respectively. After P
and Q collide, the speed of Q is twice the speed of P.
Find the two possible values of the speed of P after the collision. [4]

6. A particle A is projected vertically upwards from level ground with an initial speed of 30 ms−1. At
the same instant a particle B is released from rest 15m vertically above A. The mass of one of the
particles is twice the mass of the other particle. During the subsequent motion A and B collide and
coalesce to form particle C.
Find the difference between the two possible times at which C hits the ground. [8]

Hint: (i) Find the time for A and B to collide.

(ii) Find the velocity of A and B before the impact.

(iii) Find the two possible velocities after the
impact.
7. Three particles P, Q and R, of masses 0.1 kg, 0.2 kg and 0.5 kg respectively, are at rest in a straight
line on a smooth horizontal plane. Particle P is projected towards Q at a speed of 5ms−1. After P
and Q collide, P rebounds with speed 1ms−1.
(a) Find the speed of Q immediately after the collision with P. [3]
Q now collides with R. Immediately after the collision with Q, R begins to move with speed V ms−1.
(b) Given that there is no subsequent collision between P and Q, find the greatest possible value
of V. [3]

8. Particles P of mass m kg and Q of mass 0.2 kg are free to move on a smooth horizontal plane. P is
projected at a speed of 2ms−1 towards Q which is stationary. After the collision P and Q move in
opposite directions with speeds of 0.5ms−1 and 1ms−1 respectively. Find m. [3]

9. Small smooth spheres A and B, of equal radii and of masses 4 kg and 2 kg respectively, lie on a smooth
horizontal plane. Initially B is at rest and A is moving towards B with speed 10ms−1. After the
spheres collide A continues to move in the same direction but with half the speed of B.
(a) Find the speed of B after the collision. [2]
A third small smooth sphere C, of mass 1 kg and with the same radius as A and B, is at rest on the
plane. B now collides directly with C. After this collision B continues to move in the same direction
but with one third the speed of C.
(b) Show that there is another collision between A and B. [3]

10. Two particles P and Q, of masses 0.2 kg and 0.5 kg respectively, are at rest on a smooth horizontal
plane. P is projected towards Q with speed 2 ms−1.
(a) Write down the momentum of P. [1]
(b) After the collision P continues to move in the same direction with speed 0.3 ms−1.
Find the speed of Q after the collision. [2]
11.

A particle P of mass 0.3 kg, lying on a smooth plane inclined at 30° to the horizontal, is released from
rest. P slides down the plane for a distance of 2.5 m and then reaches a horizontal plane. There is no
change in speed when P reaches the horizontal plane. A particle Q of mass 0.2 kg lies at rest on the
horizontal plane 1.5 m from the end of the inclined plane (see diagram). P collides directly with Q.
(a) It is given that the horizontal plane is smooth and that, after the collision, P continues moving in
the same direction, with speed 2ms−1. Find the speed of Q after the collision. [5]
(b) It is given instead that the horizontal plane is rough and that when P and Q collide, they coalesce
and move with speed 1.2ms−1. Find the coefficient of friction between P and the horizontal plane.
[5]
Answers 7. (a) 3 ms-1

1. 1 ms-1 (b) no subsequent collision with P

2. (a) 6 ms-1 (b) 0.9 m ⇒ 𝑣𝑄 ≥ −1 ⇒ 𝑉 ≤ 1.6, hence greatest 𝑉 =1.6

3. k = 3 8. m = 0.08
4. (b) 0.982 s (c) 1.79 ms-1 9. (a) 10 ms-1
5. 0.179 ms-1 or 0.417 ms-1 (b) 𝑣𝐴 = 5 and 𝑣𝐵 = 4, since 𝑣𝐴 > 𝑣𝐵 , hence another
collision between A and B.
6. 1.50 s
10. (a) 0.4 kgms-1 (b) 0.68 ms-1
11. (a) 4.5 ms-1 (b) 0.7