Welcome to our lesson on Momentum! By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- 3.1.3 Define and use linear momentum as the product of mass and velocity.
- 3.1.4 Define and use force as rate of change of momentum.
In this lesson, we will focus on:
- Understanding and correctly using the key related to momentum.
- Explaining the concepts of momentum and force using scientific language.
- Interpreting and solving word problems involving calculations of momentum and force.
- Discussing the relationship between force and the change in momentum.
Here are some important terms you’ll encounter in this lesson. Pay close attention to their meanings and translations.
English | Русский (Russian) | Қазақ (Kazakh) |
---|---|---|
Momentum | Импульс (Момент) | Импульс (Қозғалыс мөлшері) |
Mass | Масса | Масса |
Velocity | Скорость | Жылдамдық |
Force | Сила | Күш |
Rate of change | Скорость изменения | Өзгеру жылдамдығы |
Linear Momentum | Линейный импульс | Сызықтық импульс |
Product (in math) | Произведение (в математике) | Көбейтінді (математикада) |
Vector | Вектор | Вектор |
Scalar | Скаляр | Скаляр |
Impulse (physics) | Импульс силы | Күш импульсі |
Use these flashcards to help you learn the key terms for this topic. Click the link to access a set on Quizlet.
Quizlet: A-Level Physics — Momentum Flashcards
(Note: This is an external resource. You may find other useful sets by searching «linear momentum physics» on Quizlet or similar platforms.)
Here are definitions for the key terms. Click on the spoiler to see the translations.
- Momentum (p)
- A
- Mass (m)
- A
- Velocity (v)
- The rate at which an object changes its
- Force (F)
- An
- Rate of Change of Momentum
- How quickly the momentum of an object is changing. This is
- Linear Momentum
- Momentum in a straight line. It is the
Let’s dive into the core concepts of momentum. This information is adapted from Cambridge AS A Level Physics. (Inspired by OpenStax and Physics and Maths Tutor resources).
Linear Momentum
In physics,
(or simply momentum) is a fundamental concept that describes the «quantity of motion» an object has. It’s a quantity, meaning it has both magnitude (how much) and direction. An object’s momentum depends on two factors: its (m) and its (v).The formula for linear momentum is:
p = m × v
Where:
p
is the momentum (in kg m/s)m
is the mass (in kg)v
is the velocity (in m/s)
The
of the momentum is the same as the direction of the velocity. If an object is not moving (its velocity is zero), its momentum is also zero, regardless of its mass. Conversely, even a small mass can have a large momentum if its velocity is very high.Force as Rate of Change of Momentum
Newton’s second law of motion can also be expressed in terms of momentum. This definition is actually more general than F = ma because it also applies to systems where the mass is changing (like a rocket burning fuel).
Force (F) is defined as the
of momentum. This means that if a net force acts on an object, its momentum will change. The greater the force, the faster the momentum changes.Mathematically, this is expressed as:
F = Δp / Δt
Where:
F
is the net force (in N)Δp
is the change in momentum (in kg m/s), which ispfinal - pinitial
ormΔv
if mass is constant.Δt
is the time interval over which the change occurs (in s)
If the mass (m) of the object is constant, then Δp = mΔv
. Substituting this into the force equation:
F = mΔv / Δt
Since acceleration (a) is defined as Δv / Δt
(the rate of change of velocity), we can see that this leads back to the more common form of Newton’s second law:
F = m × a
This relationship
that a force is required to change an object’s momentum. If there’s no net force, the momentum (this is the principle of conservation of momentum, which you’ll learn more about later).Check Your Understanding:
- Easy: What are the two physical quantities that linear momentum depends on?
[/su_spoiler] - Medium: A car of mass 1000 kg is travelling at 20 m/s. What is its momentum?
[/su_spoiler] - Medium: If a net force of 50 N acts on an object for 2 seconds, what is the change in momentum of the object?
[/su_spoiler] - Hard (Critical Thinking): Two objects, A and B, have the same momentum. Object A has four times the mass of object B. How do their velocities compare? Explain your reasoning.
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These images help illustrate the concepts of momentum and its effects.
Image 1: Newton’s Cradle demonstrating conservation of momentum.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Image 2: Collision of two billiard balls — momentum is transferred.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Image 3: A rocket expelling mass (fuel) to gain momentum upwards.
Source: NASA
Practice the key terms from this lesson with an interactive exercise. (Note: This is an example link, a specific H5P exercise might need to be created or found).
Ideally, you would embed an H5P content here using an iframe or a WordPress plugin for H5P. For now, here’s a placeholder to a general H5P content type example that could be adapted:
H5P Drag the Words Example (adaptable for definitions)
Search for «momentum physics vocabulary H5P» online for potentially pre-made exercises.
This video provides a clear explanation of linear momentum and its relation to force.
A-Level Physics — Momentum and Impulse by GorillaPhysics
(This video from GorillaPhysics is a good starting point. You can also search for «linear momentum A level physics» on YouTube for more options.)
Let's work through some examples to see how to apply the formulas for momentum and force.
Example 1: Calculating Momentum
A bowling ball has a mass of 6 kg and is moving at a velocity of 5 m/s down the alley. What is its momentum?
Example 2: Calculating Force from Change in Momentum
A 0.5 kg football is initially at rest. A player kicks the ball, and it moves off with a velocity of 20 m/s. If the kick lasted for 0.05 seconds, what was the average force exerted on the ball?
Explore momentum with this interactive simulation from PhET Colorado.
Simulation: Collision Lab
Click the link to open the simulation: PhET Collision Lab
Investigation Task:
- Select the «Intro» tab in the simulation.
- Set Ball 1 mass to 1.0 kg and Ball 2 mass to 1.0 kg.
- Give Ball 1 an initial velocity (e.g., 1.0 m/s to the right). Keep Ball 2 stationary (0 m/s).
- Ensure «Elasticity» is set to 100% (perfectly elastic collision).
- Observe the momentum of Ball 1 and Ball 2 before and after the collision. Check the «Momenta Diagram» and «Show Values» boxes.
- Question: What happens to the momentum of Ball 1 after it collides with Ball 2? What happens to the momentum of Ball 2? What can you say about the total momentum of the system (Ball 1 + Ball 2) before and after the collision?
Work with a partner or in a small group on this activity from Quizizz.
Activity: Momentum Problems (Quizizz)
Join a game or complete it as homework to test your understanding of momentum calculations and concepts.
Quizizz: Momentum Practice Quiz
(Note: This is an example link. You can search for «momentum physics A level» on Quizizz for more options or create your own.)
Instructions for Group Work:
- Form groups of 2-3 students.
- One student can share their screen if doing it live, or students can complete it individually and then discuss answers.
- For each question, discuss your approach before selecting an answer.
- If there are disagreements, explain your reasoning to each other based on the formulas and concepts learned.
- After completing the quiz, review any incorrect answers together and understand why the correct answer is right.
Test your understanding with these more complex problems. Show your working clearly.
- Analysis & Calculation: A 1200 kg car is travelling at 15 m/s East. It accelerates uniformly, and 10 seconds later, its velocity is 25 m/s East.
a) Calculate the initial momentum of the car.
b) Calculate the final momentum of the car.
c) Calculate the change in momentum of the car.
d) Calculate the average resultant force that produced this change in momentum.
[/su_spoiler] - Synthesis & Vector Nature: A 0.2 kg ball hits a wall horizontally at 10 m/s and rebounds horizontally at 8 m/s.
a) What is the change in momentum of the ball? (Remember momentum is a vector).
b) If the ball is in contact with the wall for 0.01 s, what is the average force exerted by the wall on the ball?
[/su_spoiler] - Analysis & Real-world Application: A fire hose ejects water at a rate of 20 kg/s with a velocity of 30 m/s. What is the magnitude of the force exerted by the water on the hose? Explain your reasoning in terms of Newton’s laws and momentum.
[/su_spoiler] - Synthesis & Graphical Interpretation: The graph below shows the variation of force with time for a tennis ball hit by a racket. The initial momentum of the ball was 0.8 kg m/s towards the racket, and it leaves the racket with a momentum of 1.2 kg m/s in the opposite direction.
(Imagine a graph here: F (N) on y-axis, t (ms) on x-axis. A triangular pulse starting from t=0, peaking at some Fmax at t=2ms, and returning to zero at t=4ms. The area under this graph represents the impulse or change in momentum.)
a) Determine the magnitude of the change in momentum (impulse) experienced by the ball.
b) If the peak force Fmax occurs at 2 ms and the contact lasts for 4 ms (assume a triangular force-time graph shape), calculate the peak force Fmax.
[/su_spoiler] - Evaluation & Reasoning: A heavy truck and a small car are moving at the same velocity.
a) Which one has more momentum? Explain.
b) If both vehicles are to be stopped in the same amount of time, which one would require a greater stopping force? Explain using the concept of rate of change of momentum.
c) If both vehicles are to be stopped by the same magnitude of stopping force, which one would take longer to stop? Explain.
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Explore these sites for more information, practice questions, and alternative explanations on momentum:
- Save My Exams — Momentum (AQA, OCR, Edexcel specific but concepts are universal):
- Physics and Maths Tutor — Momentum Notes & Questions (CIE A Level):
- YouTube — ALevelPhysicsOnline (Example Channel):
- Momentum and Impulse — A Level Physics (ALevelPhysicsOnline) (Example video, search the channel for more)
- HyperPhysics Concepts — Momentum:
Take a few moments to think about what you’ve learned in this lesson:
- What is the definition of linear momentum in your own words? How is it calculated?
- How is force related to the rate of change of momentum? Can you write the formula?
- What was the most
- Can you think of a real-world example (not mentioned in the lesson) where understanding momentum is important?
- What are you still
Jot down your thoughts or discuss them with a classmate.