1
AHS Physics
M. Kaul
Name: _____________
Period: _________
Introduction to Linear Momentum & Impulse: Worksheet 6A
1. Review work and energy, types of energy, conservation of energy, class notes, and text
book sections on work and energy in classroom.
2. Provide a brief physics definition of each of the following below:
a) Linear Momentum
b) Center of Mass
c) Impulse
d) Kinetic Energy (Translational)
3. Linear Momentum! Provide a formal definition and its mathematical relation of linear
momentum in physics. Be sure to state what units are used for.
4. Linear Momentum Examples. Provide 2 examples illustrating linear momentum with
numbers, direction, and units used. Compare the two examples and state which has more
linear momentum and why.
Example 1:
Example 2:
5. The Vector Nature of Linear Momentum! The momentum of a car travelling NW on a
highway has a magnitude of 92, 000 kg m/s. Do the following:
a) Sketch the Momentum Vector below in an x-y plane.
b) Find the x and y components of the car’s momentum.
2
6. Linear Momentum Comparisons. Which of the following cases has the greatest magnitude
of momentum? Which the least? Doodle it out and watch your units!
a) A 150 g tennis ball travelling with speed 12 m/s.
b) A 2.0 kg meteor travels through the Earth’s atmosphere at 50 km/s.
c) A semi-truck with a mass of 20, 000 kg travels southbound with a speed of 60 km/hr.
d) A VW with a mass of 4, 000 kg travels southbound with a speed of 80 km/hr,.
e) An orbiting piece of space debris, a bolt, with a mass of 412 g travels with a speed of
15, 600 mil/hr.
f) A 2.00 kg rock is dropped from the top of a 30.0 m high building. Calculate the ball’s
momentum at the time that it strikes the ground.
7. Linear Momentum variability. For the case of the 20, 000 kg semi-truck travelling with
speed of 60 km/hr, what would happen to its linear momentum if:
a) The speed was doubled.
b) The mass was doubled.
c) The speed was halved.
3
8. Net Linear Momentum. What is meant by the net linear momentum of a system? Provide
an example.
9. Linear Momentum and Translational KE. Write down the relation for both linear
momentum and kinetic energy below. Then write down KE in momentum form! How do
momentum and KE differ? For example, if you double the velocity in each, how does that
effect the momentum and the kinetic energy?
10. Impulse! Provide a formal definition and its mathematical relation of impulse in physics.
Be sure to state what units are used for and be sure to include both the momentum form and
force form of the relation to impulse.
11. Impulse Examples! Provide two examples of impulse below but in each example, use the
change in momentum definition and the in the other use the Force definition.
Example 1:
Example 2:
4
12. Impulse Problem with “F”. A force of 30.0 N is applied to a 4.00 kg object for 4.00
seconds. Calculate the impulse experienced by the object.
13. Impulse Problem with “p”. A 1600 kg car traveling at 20.0 m/s speeds up to 30.0 m/s.
What is the impulse experienced by the car?
14. Impulse Graphs! Calculate the impulse experienced by the 4.00 kg object represented in
the graph below.