Momentum
Reading
BJU book: Ch. 11 "Momentum"
AP students additional reading: Princeton Review "Linear Momentum"
Topics
Labs
Memo: 2020-2021 labs will include hands-on and virtual, and may vary as the Covid-19 situation changes.
BJU book: Ch. 11 "Momentum"
AP students additional reading: Princeton Review "Linear Momentum"
Topics
- Momentum = "mass in motion"
- Typical problems involving elastic and inelastic collisions
Labs
Memo: 2020-2021 labs will include hands-on and virtual, and may vary as the Covid-19 situation changes.
- The Collision lab is our regular go-to lab, but there are numerous other virtual labs also which cover the topic, as well as labs you can do at home. We'll decide when we get here.
Below: "Conservation of Momentum" as illustrated by the collision of two objects at a picnic
Far below: The same principle illustrated by cannon and projectile
Far below: The same principle illustrated by cannon and projectile
Lecture outline
Momentum is "mass x velocity" (p = mv).
Thus, it can be thought of as "mass in motion".
We use the letter "p", because the Latin word 'petere' means "to go to", "to attack". It's where we get the words "impetuous, petulant, and impetus"
"Impulse" is a concept Newton came up with to develop his 2nd Law of Motion. We normally write the 2nd Law as "F=ma", but Newton originally expressed it using impulse, as in "Impulse = Change in momentum = force x elapsed time".
From that, you can also say "Impulse = Change in momentum = mass x change in velocity".
Here's a handy chart, below:
Collisions
Many homework problems from this chapter are dealing with "collisions".
Rule #1: Total momentum is conserved in all types of collisions. "Conserved" means "doesn't change".
Rule #2: In an "elastic" collision (perfect billiard balls), both Kinetic Energy and momentum are conserved.
Rule #3: In an "inelastic" collision (billiard balls covered with Velcro), only momentum is conserved. Kinetic Energy is not.
Many homework problems from this chapter are dealing with "collisions".
Rule #1: Total momentum is conserved in all types of collisions. "Conserved" means "doesn't change".
Rule #2: In an "elastic" collision (perfect billiard balls), both Kinetic Energy and momentum are conserved.
Rule #3: In an "inelastic" collision (billiard balls covered with Velcro), only momentum is conserved. Kinetic Energy is not.
Lab
"Collision Lab"
Homework
"Collision Lab"
Homework
| 8.linear_momentum_homework__problems.docx |