Linear momentum

2.2 Collisions
The reason momentum is important is that it is conserved in interactions
between bodies. In physics quantities like energy or charge or momentum,
which are conserved, help enormously in understanding how the world around
us behaves. A study of the history of science will support thi s, and we will see
later that it can even lead scientists to suggest the existence of undiscovered
elementary particles. 1\
Experiment

A simple collision between trolleys on a friction-compensated slope

Tr611ey A of mass mA is given a push
so that, after its release, its
interrupter card cuts through a light
beam with the trolley moving at a
constant velocity down the friction­
compensated slope. The time for
which the light beam is interrupted
is recorded electronically and the l'fL---light sensor
(constant) velocity u of trolley A is
calculated.
Trolley A has a cork attached with a
pin sticking out of it that 'couples'
to a cork attached to trolley B of friction-compensated runway
mass m 8 when A hits B. After
collision the two move off together Fiaure 2_2 .._
at a new constant velocity v down
the slope. This velocity is calculated as the interrupter card on trolley A Safety note
passes through the second light beam. Care should be taken with
positioning runways and blocks,
If momentum is conserved in this collision, then mAu should equal
which are heavy masses. A 'catch
(mA + m 8)v. The easiest case is when mA = m 8, for which v should equal box' should be used if trolleys are
--}u. By varying how fast trolley A is set moving, and by adding masses to likely to run off the end of the
either or both trolleys, the relation that conserves the trolleys' momentum bench.

m Au = (mA + m 8)v
can be tested for a variety of different values in the expression. Instead of
using light gates, the pin and cork can be got rid of and a transmitter can be
attached to the back of the first trolley and a receiver fixed at the top of the
slope. Using this technique a displacement-time graph of the collision can be
drawn, from which the software can make a speed-time graph as v = fl.sfM.
The experiment can, in principle, be tried with the supermarket trolleys
mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, but measuring their speeds is
quite difficult!

�
Worked example
A loaded supermarket trolley of unknown total mass is rolled into a
stationary stack of two empty trolleys, each of mass 8.0 kg. The speed of the
loaded trolley before they link together is 2.2 m s-1 and the speed of the
linked trolleys after the collision is 1.0 m s-1. Calculate the mass of the
shopping in the loaded trolley. 5
Topic 2 Further mechanics
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Experiment

Analysing energy conservation in a collision between air gliders

The set-up is as in Figure 2.5 on page 7.

The table shows data for gliders Pand Q that move towards each other on
the air track, collide and bounce back. The change of momentum t:,..p and
the change of kinetic energy /'iEk have been calculated and are shown in
the last two columns. Left-to-right has been chosen as positive for u, v and
/'ip. Glider Pinitially moves to the right; Q moves ·to the left.
t::.E/J

P 0.20 0.14 -0.26 -0.080 0.0048 more

Q 0.25 -0.22 0.10 0.080 0.0048 less

You can see that the change of momentum of glider Pis 0.080 kg m s- 1 to
the left, and that of glider O is 0.080 kg m s- 1 to the right, i.e. momentum is
conserved. Is kinetic energy conserved?

In the experiment above there was no loss of kinetic energy, as all the 0.0048 J
lost by glider Q is gained by glider P. This type of collision is called an elastic
collision. Each glider had a tiny magnet with like poles as a buffer, creating an
elastic bounce.
In the everyday world almost all collisions are inelastic, but in the sub­
atomic world elastic collisions are not uncommon.
You could set up a spreadsheet to analyse any two-body collision, if
provided with the data for the masses and velocities of the two bodies .

Worked example
A 1200kg car is stationary on an icy road. The car is hit from behind by a
skidding lorry of mass 5600kg that is moving at 18 km h- 1 (5.0m s- 1 ). The
two vehicles remain locked together after the crash.
a) What type of collision is this crash?
b) What fraction of the lorry's kinetic energy becomes internal energy as a
result of the collision?

Answer
V

5600 kg 6800 kg

icy road icy road

i:-, Ir 'l.5 .6.

a) The collision is inelastic.

b) Momentum is conserved in all collisions. Suppose the velocity after the
crash is v.

5600kg x 5.0m s- 1 = (5600kg + 1200kg)v

=
v = 4.12m s- 1