Topic-1C .

3 Conservation of Momentum
Ten of the Following Problems: 33, 49, 60, 67, 69, 81, 93, 101, 112, and 114 .

9–2 Conservation of Momentum

21. (III) A 224-kg projectile, fired with a speed of 116 m/s at a 60.0° angle, breaks into three
pieces of equal mass at the highest point of its arc (where its velocity is horizontal). Two of the
fragments move with the same speed right after the explosion as the entire projectile had just
before the explosion; one of these moves vertically downward and the other horizontally.
Determine (a) the velocity of the third fragment immediately after the explosion and (b) the
energy released in the explosion.

9–3 Collisions and Impulse

31. (II) (a) A molecule of mass m and speed y strikes a wall at right angles and rebounds back
with the same speed. If the collision time is Δt , what is the average force on the wall during
the collision? (b) If molecules, all of this type, strike the wall at intervals a time t apart (on the
average) what is the average force on the wall averaged over a long time?
32. (III) (a) Calculate the impulse experienced when a 65-kg person lands on firm ground after
jumping from a height of 3.0 m. (b) Estimate the average force exerted on the person’s feet by
the ground if the landing is stiff-legged, and again (c) with bent legs. With stiff legs, assume
the body moves 1.0 cm during impact, and when the legs are bent, about 50 cm. [Hint: The
average net force on her which is related to impulse, is the vector sum of gravity and the force
exerted by the ground.]
33. (III) A scale is adjusted so that when a large, shallow pan is placed on it, it reads zero. A water
faucet at height h = 2.5 m above is turned on and water falls into the pan at a rate
R = 0.14 kg/s. Determine (a) a formula for the scale reading as a function of time t and (b) the
reading for t = 9.0 s. (c) Repeat (a) and (b), but replace the shallow pan with a tall, narrow

cylindrical container of area A = 20 cm 2 (the level rises in this case).

9–4 and 9–5 Elastic Collisions

39. (II) Determine the fraction of kinetic energy lost by a neutron ( m1 = 1.01 u ) when it collides

head-on and elastically with a target particle at rest which is (a) 11 H ( m = 1.01 u ) ; (b) 12 H

(heavy hydrogen, m = 2.01 u ); (c) 12

6 C ( m = 12.00 u ) ; (d) 208
82 Pb (lead, m = 208 u ).
40. (II) Show that, in general, for any head-on one-dimensional elastic collision, the speeds after
⎛ 2mA ⎞ ⎛ mB − mA ⎞ ⎛ mA − mB ⎞ ⎛ 2 mB ⎞
collision are vB′ = vA ⎜ ⎟ + vB ⎜ ⎟ and vA′ = vA ⎜ ⎟ + vB ⎜ ⎟,
⎝ mA + mB ⎠ ⎝ mA + mB ⎠ ⎝ mA + mB ⎠ ⎝ mA + mB ⎠
where vA and vB are the initial speeds of the two objects of mass mA and mB .

41. (III) A 3.0-kg block slides along a frictionless tabletop at 8.0 m/s toward a second block (at rest)
of mass 4.5 kg. A coil spring, which obeys Hooke’s law and has spring constant k = 850 N/m,
is attached to the second block in such a way that it will be compressed when struck by the
moving block, Fig. 9-40. (a) What will be the maximum compression of the spring? (b) What
will be the final velocities of the blocks after the collision? (c) Is the collision elastic? Ignore
the mass of the spring.

Fig. 9-40

9–6 Inelastic Collisions

49. (II) A measure of inelasticity in a head-on collision of two objects is the coefficient of
vA′ − vB′
restitution, e, defined as e ≡ , where vA′ − vB′ is the relative velocity of the two objects
vB − vA

after the collision and vB − vA is their relative velocity before it. (a) Show that e = 1 for a
perfectly elastic collision, and e = 0 for a completely inelastic collision. (b) A simple method
for measuring the coefficient of restitution for an object colliding with a very hard surface like
steel is to drop the object onto a heavy steel plate, as shown below. Determine a formula for e
in terms of the original height h and the maximum height h′ reached after collision.

50. (II) A pendulum consists of a mass M hanging at the bottom end of a massless rod of length l
which has a frictionless pivot at its top end. A mass m, moving as shown below with velocity v
impacts M and becomes embedded. What is the smallest value of v sufficient to cause the
pendulum (with embedded mass m) to swing clear over the top of its arc?
9–7 Collisions in Two Dimensions
54. (II) Billiard ball A of mass mA = 0.120 kg moving with speed vA = 2.80 m/s strikes ball B,

initially at rest, of mass mB = 0.140 kg . As a result of the collision, ball A is deflected off at an

angle of 30.0° with a speed vA′ = 2.10 m/s. (a) Taking the x axis to be the original direction of
motion of ball A, write down the equations expressing the conservation of momentum for the
components in the x and y directions separately. (b) Solve these equations for the speed, vB′ ,
and angle, θ B′ , of ball B. Do not assume the collision is elastic.

59. (III) A neon atom ( m = 20.0 u ) makes a perfectly elastic collision with another atom at rest.

After the impact, the neon atom travels away at a 55.6° angle from its original direction and the
unknown atom travels away at a -50.0° angle. What is the mass (in u) of the unknown atom?
[Hint: You could use the law of sines.]
60. (III) For an elastic collision between a projectile particle of mass m1 and a target particle (at rest) of

mass m2 , show that the scattering angle, θ1′, of the projectile (a) can take any value, 0 to 180°, for

m1 < m2 , but (b) has a maximum angle φ given by cos2 φ = 1 − ( m2 /m1 ) for m1 > m2 .
2

61. (III) Prove that in the elastic collision of two objects of identical mass, with one being a target
initially at rest, the angle between their final velocity vectors is always 90°.

9–8 Center of Mass (CM)

66. (II) A uniform circular plate of radius 2R has a circular hole of radius R cut out of it. The center C′
of the smaller circle is a distance 0.80R from the center C of the larger circle, Fig. 9-45. What is the
position of the center of mass of the plate? [Hint: Try subtraction.]
 Fig. 9-45
67. (II) A uniform thin wire is bent into a semicircle of radius r. Determine the coordinates of its center
of mass with respect to an origin of coordinates at the center of the “full” circle.
69. (III) Determine the CM of a machine part that is a uniform cone of height h and radius R, Fig. 9-46.
[Hint: Divide the cone into an infinite number of disks of thickness dz, one of which is shown.]

Fig. 9-46
71. (III) Determine the CM of a thin, uniform, semicircular plate.

9–9 CM and Translational Motion

79. (III) A huge balloon and its gondola, of mass M, are in the air and stationary with respect to the
ground. A passenger, of mass m, then climbs out and slides down a rope with speed v,
measured with respect to the balloon. With what speed and direction (relative to Earth) does
the balloon then move? What happens if the passenger stops?
*9–10 Variable Mass
*81. (II) Suppose the conveyor belt of Example 9–19 is retarded by a friction force of 150 N.
Determine the required output power (hp) of the motor as a function of time from the moment
gravel first starts falling ( t = 0 ) until 3.0 s after the gravel begins to be dumped off the end of

the 22-m-long conveyor belt.

*82. (II) The jet engine of an airplane takes in 120 kg of air per second, which is burned with 4.2 kg of
fuel per second. The burned gases leave the plane at a speed of 550 m/s (relative to the plane). If the

plane is traveling 270 m/s ( 600 mi/h ) , determine: (a) the thrust due to ejected fuel; (b) the thrust due

to accelerated air passing through the engine; and (c) the power (hp) delivered.
That is,
Vrel = U - V

is the velocity of the entering mass dM as seen by an observer on M. We can

rearrange Eq. 9-19a:

= 2Fext + vrelf l (9-19b)

We can interpret this equation as follows. M dv/dt is the mass times the acceleration
of M. The first term on the right, 2 F ext, refers to the external force on the
mass M (for a rocket, it would include the force of gravity and air resistance). It
does not include the force that dM exerts on M as a result of their collision. This
is taken care of by the second term on the right, %ex(dM/dt), which represents
the rate at which momentum is being transferred into (or out of) the mass M
because of the mass that is added to (or leaves) it. It can thus be interpreted as
the force exerted on the mass M due to the addition (or ejection) of mass. For a
rocket this term is called the thrust, since it represents the force exerted on the
rocket by the expelled gases. For a rocket ejecting burned fuel, dM /dt < 0, but
so is vrei (gases are forced out the back), so the second term in Eq. 9 - 19b acts
to increase v.

EXAMPLE 9 -1 9 Conveyor belt. You are designing a conveyor system for a 0 PHYSICS APPLIED
gravel yard. A hopper drops gravel at a rate of 75.0 kg/s onto a conveyor belt M ovin g con veyor belt
that moves at a constant speed v = 2.20 m/s (Fig. 9-34). (a) Determine the
additional force (over and above internal friction) needed to keep the conveyor FIGURE 9 - 3 4 Exam ple 9 -1 9 .
belt moving as gravel falls on it. (b) What power output would be needed from Gravel dropped from hopper onto
the motor that drives the conveyor belt? conveyor belt.

APPROACH We assume that the hopper is at rest so u = 0, and that the hopper
has just begun dropping gravel so dM /dt = 75.0 kg/s.
SOLUTION (a) The belt needs to move at a constant speed (dv/dt = 0), so
Eq. 9-19 as written for one dimension, gives:

, , dv . . dM
ext " d f ~ { u ~ v ) ~dT
n \ d M
= 0 -(0 -v ) —

= VW = (2-2° m/s) (75.0 kg/s) = 165 N.

(b) This force does work at the rate (Eq. 8-21)

dW * 9 dM
d T = F- ‘ v = v d T
= 363 W,

which is the power output required of the motor.

NOTE This work does not all go into kinetic energy of the gravel, since

dK d (1 w 1 dM ,
= — - M r =
dt d t\ 2 J 2 dt

which is only half the work done by Fexf The other half of the external work
done goes into thermal energy produced by friction between the gravel and the
belt (the same friction force that accelerates the gravel).

*SECTION 9 -1 0 Systems of Variable Mass; Rocket Propulsion 237

*83. (II) A rocket traveling 1850 m/s away from the Earth at an altitude of 6400 km fires its rockets, which
eject gas at a speed of 1300 m/s relative to the rocket. If the mass of the rocket at this moment is 25,000

kg and an acceleration of 1.5 m/s 2 is desired, at what rate must the gases be ejected?
*84. (III) A sled filled with sand slides without friction down a 32° slope. Sand leaks out a hole in
the sled at a rate of 2.0 kg/s. If the sled starts from rest with an initial total mass of 40.0 kg,
how long does it take the sled to travel 120 m along the slope?

General Problems
92. A 4800-kg open railroad car coasts along with a constant speed of 8.60 m/s on a level track.
Snow begins to fall vertically and fills the car at a rate of 3.80 kg/min. Ignoring friction with
the tracks, what is the speed of the car after 60.0 min? (See Section 9–2.)
93. Consider the railroad car of Problem 92, which is slowly filling with snow. (a) Determine the
speed of the car as a function of time using Eqs. 9-19. (b) What is the speed of the car after
60.0 min? Does this agree with the simpler calculation (Problem 92)?
94. Two blocks of mass mA and mB , resting on a frictionless table, are connected by a stretched
spring and then released (Fig. 9-51). (a) Is there a net external force on the system? (b)
Determine the ratio of their speeds, vA /vB . (c) What is the ratio of their kinetic energies? (d)
Describe the motion of the CM of this system. (e) How would the presence of friction alter the
above results?

Fig. 9-51
100. A block of mass m = 2.20 kg slides down a 30.0° incline which is 3.60 m high. At the bottom, it
strikes a block of mass M = 7.00 kg which is at rest on a horizontal surface, Fig. 9-53. (Assume a
smooth transition at the bottom of the incline.) If the collision is elastic, and friction can be
ignored, determine (a) the speeds of the two blocks after the collision, and (b) how far back up the
incline the smaller mass will go.

Fig. 9-53
101. In Problem 100 (Fig. 9-53), what is the upper limit on mass m if it is to rebound from M, slide
up the incline, stop, slide down the incline, and collide with M again?
105. The gray itational slingshot effect . Figure 9-55 shows the planet Saturn moving in the

negative x direction at its orbital speed (with respect to the Sun) of 9.6 km/s. The mass of

Saturn is 5.69 × 1026 kg. A spacecraft with mass 825 kg approaches Saturn. When far from
Saturn, it moves in the 1- x direction at 10.4 km/s. The gravitational attraction of Saturn (a
conservative force) acting on the spacecraft causes it to swing around the planet (orbit shown as
dashed line) and head off in the opposite direction. Estimate the final speed of the spacecraft
after it is far enough away to be considered free of Saturn’s gravitational pull.

Fig. 9-55
110. Astronomers estimate that a 2.0-km-wide asteroid collides with the Earth once every million years.
The collision could pose a threat to life on Earth. (a) Assume a spherical asteroid has a mass of
3200 kg for each cubic meter of volume and moves toward the Earth at 15 km/s. How much
destructive energy could be released when it embeds itself in the Earth? (b) For comparison, a
nuclear bomb could release about 4.0 × 1016 J . How many such bombs would have to explode
simultaneously to release the destructive energy of the asteroid collision with the Earth?
111. An astronaut of mass 210 kg including his suit and jet pack wants to acquire a velocity of 2.0 m/s to
move back toward his space shuttle. Assuming the jet pack can eject gas with a velocity of 35 m/s,
what mass of gas will need to be ejected?
112. An extrasolar planet can be detected by observing the wobble it produces on the star around
which it revolves. Suppose an extrasolar planet of mass mB revolves around its star of mass mA .

If no external force acts on this simple two-object system, then its CM is stationary. Assume mA

and mB are in circular orbits with radii rA and rB about the system’s CM. (a) Show that

mB
rA = rB . (b) Now consider a Sun-like star and a single planet with the same characteristics
mA

as Jupiter. That is, mB = 1.0 × 1023 mA and the planet has an orbital radius of 8.0 × 1011 m.
Determine the radius rA of the star’s orbit about the system’s CM. (c) When viewed from Earth,

the distant system appears to wobble over a distance of 2 rA . If astronomers are able to detect
 angular displacements θ of about 1 milliarcsec ( 1 arcsec = 1
3600 of a degree), from what distance

d (in light-years) can the star’s wobble be detected (1 ly = 9.46 × 1015 m ) ? (d) The star nearest

to our Sun is about 4 ly away. Assuming stars are uniformly distributed throughout our region of
the Milky Way Galaxy, about how many stars can this technique be applied to in the search for
extrasolar planetary systems?

*Numerical/Computer
*114. (III) A particle of mass mA traveling with speed vA collides elastically head-on with a

stationary particle of smaller mass mB . (a) Show that the speed of mB after the collision is

2vA
vB′ = .
1 + mB /mA

(b) Consider now a third particle of mass mC at rest between mA and mB so that mA first

collides head on with mC and then mC collides head on with mB . Both collisions are elastic.

Show that in this case,

mC mA
vB′ = 4vA .
( mC + mA )( mB + mC )
(c) From the result of part (b), show that for maximum vB′ , mC = mA mB . (d) Assume

mB = 2.0 kg , mA = 18.0 kg and y A = 2.0 m/s. Use a spreadsheet to calculate and graph the

values of y ′B from mC = 0.0 kg to mC = 50.0 kg in steps of 1.0 kg. For what value of mC is the

value of vB′ maximum? Does your numerical result agree with your result in part (c)?
CHAPTER 9 Linear Momentum
Questions
12. Is it possible for an object to receive a larger impulse from a small force than from a large force?
Explain.
13. How could a force give zero impulse over a nonzero time interval even though the force is not
zero for at least a part of that time interval?
14. In a collision between two cars, which would you expect to be more damaging to the occupants: if
the cars collide and remain together, or if the two cars collide and rebound backward? Explain.
16. Cars used to be built as rigid as possible to withstand collisions. Today, though, cars are designed to
have “crumple zones” that collapse upon impact. What is the advantage of this new design?
17. At a hydroelectric power plant, water is directed at high speed against turbine blades on an axle
that turns an electric generator. For maximum power generation, should the turbine blades be
designed so that the water is brought to a dead stop, or so that the water rebounds?
18. A squash ball hits a wall at a 45° angle as shown in Fig. 9–36. What is the direction (a) of the
change in momentum of the ball, (b) of the force on the wall?

19. Why can a batter hit a pitched baseball farther than a ball he himself has tossed up in the air?
21. Inelastic and elastic collisions are similar in that (a) momentum and kinetic energy are
conserved in both; (b) momentum is conserved in both; (c) momentum and potential energy are
conserved in both; (d) kinetic energy is conserved in both.
25. Show on a diagram how your CM shifts when you move from a lying position to a sitting
position.
27. Place yourself facing the edge of an open door. Position your feet astride the door with your
nose and abdomen touching the door’s edge. Try to rise on your tiptoes. Why can’t this be
done?
28. If only an external force can change the momentum of the center of mass of an object, how can
the internal force of the engine accelerate a car?
31. In observations of nuclear β - decay, the electron and recoil nucleus often do not separate
along the same line. Use conservation of momentum in two dimensions to explain why this
implies the emission of at least one other particle in the disintegration.
Responses to Questions
12. Yes. Impulse is the product of the force and the time over which it acts. A small force acting over a longer
time could impart a greater impulse than a large force acting over a shorter time.

13. If the force is non-constant, and reverses itself over time, it can give a zero impulse. For example, the
spring force would give a zero impulse over one period of oscillation.

14. The collision in which the two cars rebound would probably be more damaging. In the case of the cars
rebounding, the change in momentum of each car is greater than in the case in which they stick together,
because each car is not only brought to rest but also sent back in the direction from which it came.
A greater impulse results from a greater force, and so most likely more damage would occur.

15. (a) No. The ball has external forces acting on it at all points of its path.
(b) If the system is the ball and the Earth, momentum is conserved for the entire path. The forces acting
on the ball-Earth system are all internal to the system.
(c) For a piece of putty falling and sticking to a steel plate, if the system is the putty and the Earth,
momentum is conserved for the entire path.

16. The impulse imparted to a car during a collision is equal to the change in momentum from its initial
speed times mass to zero, assuming the car is brought to rest. The impulse is also equal to the force
exerted on the car times the time over which the force acts. For a given change in momentum, therefore,
a longer time results in a smaller average force required to stop the car. The “crumple zone” extends the
time it takes to bring the car to rest, thereby reducing the force.

17. For maximum power, the turbine blades should be designed so that the water rebounds. The water has a
greater change in momentum if it rebounds than if it just stops at the turbine blade. If the water has a
greater change in momentum, then, by conservation of momentum, the turbine blades also have a greater
change in momentum, and will therefore spin faster.

18. (a) The direction of the change in momentum of the ball is perpendicular to the wall and away
from
it, or outward.
(b) The direction of the force on the ball is the same as the direction of its change in momentum.
Therefore, by Newton’s third law, the direction of the force on the wall will be perpendicular to the
wall and towards it, or inward.

19. When a ball is thrown into the air, it has only a vertical component of velocity. When the batter hits the
ball, usually in or close to the horizontal direction, the ball acquires a component of velocity in the
horizontal direction from the bat. If the ball is pitched, then when it is hit by the bat it reverses its
horizontal component of velocity (as it would if it bounced off of a stationary wall) and acquires an
additional contribution to its horizontal component of velocity from the bat. Therefore, a pitched ball can
be hit farther than one tossed into the air.

20. A perfectly inelastic collision between two objects that initially had momenta equal in magnitude but
opposite in direction would result in all the kinetic energy being lost. For instance, imagine sliding two
clay balls with equal masses and speeds toward each other across a frictionless surface. Since the initial
momentum of the system is zero, the final momentum must be zero as well. The balls stick together, so
the only way the final momentum can be zero is if they are brought to rest. In this case, all the kinetic
energy would be lost.

21. (b) Elastic collisions conserve both momentum and kinetic energy; while, inelastic collisions only
conserve momentum.

22. Passengers may be told to sit in certain seats in order to balance the plane. If they move during the flight,
they could change the position of the center of mass of the plane and affect its flight.
23. You lean backward in order to keep your center of mass over your feet. If, due to the heavy load, your
center of mass is in front of your feet, you will fall forward.

24. A piece of pipe is typically uniform, so that its center of mass is at its geometric center. Your arm and
leg are not uniform. For instance, the thigh is bigger than the calf, so the center of mass of a leg will be
higher than the midpoint.

25. Lying down Sitting up

CM is within the body, approximately CM is outside

half-way between the head and feet. the body.

26. Draw a line from each vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side. The center of mass will be the point
at which these lines intersect.

27. When you stand next to a door in the position described, your center of mass is over your heels. If you try to
stand on your toes, your center of mass will not be over your area of support, and you will fall over backward.

28. If the car were on a frictionless surface, then the internal force of the engine could not accelerate the car.
However, there is friction, which is an external force, between the car tires and the road, so the car can be
accelerated.

29. The center of mass of the system of pieces will continue to follow the original parabolic path.

30. Far out in space there are no external forces acting on the rocket, so momentum is conserved. Therefore,
to change directions, the rocket needs to expel something (like gas exhaust) in one direction so that the
rest of it will move in the opposite direction and conserve momentum.

31. If there were only two particles involved in the decay, then by conservation of momentum, the momenta of
the particles would have to be equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, so that the momenta would be
required to lie along a line. If the momenta of the recoil nucleus and the electron do not lie along a line,
then some other particle must be carrying off some of the momentum.

32. Consider Bob, Jim, and the rope as a system. The center of mass of the system is closer to Bob, because he
has more mass. Because there is no net external force on the system, the center of mass will stay stationary.
As the two men pull hand-over-hand on the rope they will move toward each other, eventually colliding at
the center of mass. Since the CM is on Bob’s side of the midline, Jim will cross the midline and lose.

33. The ball that rebounds off the cylinder will give the cylinder a larger impulse and will be more likely to
knock it over.