4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Chapter 8 Homework
Due: 10:00pm on Monday, March 31, 2014
You will receive no credit for items you complete after the assignment is due. Grading Policy

Momentum and Kinetic Energy

Consider two objects (Object 1 and Object 2) moving in the same direction on a frictionless surface. Object 1 moves
with speed v1 = v and has mass m1 = 2m . Object 2 moves with speed v2 = 2v and has mass m2 = m .

Part A
Which object has the larger magnitude of its momentum?

Hint 1. Momentum
Recall that an object's momentum is given by
.

p = mv

Hint 2. Compare the momenta

Perhaps the simplest way to compare the momenta of Object 1 and Object 2 is to carry out the steps that
follow:
1. Write down the momentum equation for Object 1:

p1 =

2. For each known variable in the equation, substitute the value provided in the problem
introduction.
3. Simplify the equation.
4. Repeat these steps for Object 2.
5. Compare your equation for p1 to that for p2 .
Complete the first three steps to find an expression for p1 .
Write

p1

in terms of m and v.

ANSWER:
p1

2mv

ANSWER:
Object 1 has the greater magnitude of its momentum.
Object 2 has the greater magnitude of its momentum.
Both objects have the same magnitude of their momenta.

Correct

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

1/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part B
Which object has the larger kinetic energy?

Hint 1. Kinetic energy and momentum

Kinetic energy is given by
K=

1
2

mv

2m

Hint 2. Compare the kinetic energies

Perhaps the simplest way to compare the kinetic energies of Object 1 and Object 2 is to carry out the steps
that follow:
1. Write down the kinetic energy equation for Object 1:

K1 =

2. For each known variable in the equation, substitute the value provided in the problem
introduction.
3. Simplify the equation.
4. Repeat these steps for Object 2.
5. Compare your equation for K 1 to that for K 2 .
Complete the first three steps to find an expression for K 1 .
Write

K1

in terms of m and v.

ANSWER:
K1

mv

ANSWER:
Object 1 has the greater kinetic energy.
Object 2 has the greater kinetic energy.
The objects have the same kinetic energy.

Correct
Many students confuse the quantities momentum and kinetic energy and think that they are the same thing.
However, as this problem has demonstrated, they are two very different physical quantities and even if two
objects have different momenta, they can still have the same amount of kinetic energy.

Exercise 8.9
A 0.160-kg hockey puck is moving on an icy, frictionless, horizontal surface. At
3.10m/s .

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

t = 0

the puck is moving to the right at

2/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part A
Calculate the magnitude of the velocity of the puck after a force of 25.4N directed to the right has been applied for
4.5102s .
Express your answer using two significant figures.
ANSWER:
v

= 10

m/s

Correct

Part B
What is the direction of the velocity of the puck after a force of 25.4N directed to the right has been applied for
4.5102s .
ANSWER:
to the right
to the left

Correct

Part C
If instead, a force of 11.4N directed to the left is applied from
final velocity of the puck?

t = 0

to t

4.5102s , what is the magnitude of the

Express your answer using two significant figures.

ANSWER:
v

= 0.11

m/s

Correct

Part D
What is the direction of the final velocity of the puck in this case?
ANSWER:

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

3/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

to the right
to the left

Correct

Exercise 8.13
A 2.00kg stone is sliding to the right on a frictionless horizontal surface at 4.00m/s when it is suddenly struck by an
object that exerts a large horizontal force on it for a short period of time. The graph in the figure shows the magnitude of
this force as a function of time.

Part A
What impulse does this force exert on the stone?
ANSWER:
p

= 2.50

kg m/s

Correct

Part B
Just after the force stops acting, find the magnitude of the stone's velocity if the force acts to the right.
ANSWER:
v

= 5.25

m/s

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

4/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Correct

Part C
Just after the force stops acting, find the direction of the stone's velocity if the force acts to the right.
ANSWER:
to the right
to the left

Correct

Part D
Just after the force stops acting, find the magnitude of the stone's velocity if the force acts to the left.
ANSWER:
v

= 2.75

m/s

Correct

Part E
Just after the force stops acting, find the direction of the stone's velocity if the force acts to the left.
ANSWER:
to the right
to the left

Correct

Momentum and Internal Forces

Learning Goal:
To understand the concept of total momentum for a system of objects and the effect of the internal forces on the total
momentum.
We begin by introducing the following terms:
System: Any collection of objects, either pointlike or extended. In many momentum-related problems, you have a
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

5/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

certain freedom in choosing the objects to be considered as your system. Making a wise choice is often a crucial step
in solving the problem.
Internal force: Any force interaction between two objects belonging to the chosen system. Let us stress that both
interacting objects must belong to the system.
External force: Any force interaction between objects at least one of which does not belong to the chosen system; in
other words, at least one of the objects is external to the system.
Closed system: a system that is not subject to any external forces.
Total momentum: The vector sum of the individual momenta of all objects constituting the system.
In this problem, you will analyze a system composed of two blocks, 1 and 2, of respective masses
simplify the analysis, we will make several assumptions:

m1

and m2 . To

1. The blocks can move in only one dimension, namely, along the x axis.
2. The masses of the blocks remain constant.
3. The system is closed.
At time t, the x components of the velocity and the acceleration of block 1 are denoted by v1 (t) and a1 (t) . Similarly,
the x components of the velocity and acceleration of block 2 are denoted by v2 (t) and a2 (t) . In this problem, you will
show that the total momentum of the system is not changed by the presence of internal forces.

Part A
Find p(t), the x component of the total momentum of the system at time t.
Express your answer in terms of m1 ,

m2

v1 (t)

, and

v2 (t)

ANSWER:
p(t)

m1 v 1 (t) + m2 v 2 (t)

Correct

Part B
Find the time derivative dp(t)/dt of the x component of the system's total momentum.
Express your answer in terms of a1 (t) ,

a2 (t)

m1

, and

m2

Hint 1. Finding the derivative of momentum for one block

Consider the momentum of block 1:

p1 (t) = m1 v1 (t)

. Take the derivative of this expression with respect

to time, noting that velocity is a function of time, and mass is a constant:

d p 1 (t)
dt

d(m1 v1 (t))
dt

= m1

d v1 (t)
dt

Hint 2. The relationship between velocity and acceleration

dv(t)
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796
a(t) =

6/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Recall the definition of acceleration as

a(t) =

dv(t)
dt

ANSWER:
dp(t)/dt

m1 a1 (t) + m2 a2 (t)

Correct

Why did we bother with all this math? The expression for the derivative of momentum that we just obtained will be useful
in reaching our desired conclusion, if only for this very special case.

Part C
The quantity

ma

(mass times acceleration) is dimensionally equivalent to which of the following?

ANSWER:
momentum
energy
force
acceleration
inertia

Correct

Part D
Acceleration is due to which of the following physical quantities?
ANSWER:
velocity
speed
energy
momentum
force

Correct

Part E
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

7/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Since we have assumed that the system composed of blocks 1 and 2 is closed, what could be the reason for the
acceleration of block 1?

Hint 1. Force and acceleration

Since the system is closed, the only object that can affect block 1 is the other block in the system, block 2.
ANSWER:
the large mass of block 1
air resistance
Earth's gravitational attraction
a force exerted by block 2 on block 1
a force exerted by block 1 on block 2

Correct

Part F
What could be the reason for the acceleration of block 2?
ANSWER:
a force exerted by block 2 on block 1
a force exerted by block 1 on block 2

Correct

Part G
Let us denote the x component of the force exerted by block 1 on block 2 by
exerted by block 2 on block 1 by

F21

F12

, and the x component of the force

. Which of the following pairs equalities is a direct consequence of Newton's

second law?
ANSWER:
F12 = m2 a2

and F21

= m1 a1

F12 = m1 a1

and F21

= m2 a2

F12 = m1 a2

and F21

= m2 a1

F12 = m2 a1

and F21

= m1 a2

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

8/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Correct
Note that both F12 and F21 are internal forces.

Part H
Let us recall that we have denoted the force exerted by block 1 on block 2 by
on block 1 by

F21

. If we suppose that

m1

F12

, and the force exerted by block 2

is greater than m2 , which of the following statements about forces is

true?

Hint 1. Which of Newton's laws is useful here?

Newton's third law!
ANSWER:
|F12 | > |F21 |
|F21 | > |F12 |

Both forces have equal magnitudes.

Correct
Newton's third law states that forces
their x components are related by

F 12

and F 21
are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. Therefore,

F12 = F21

Part I
Now recall the expression for the time derivative of the x component of the system's total momentum:
dpx (t)/dt = Fx . Considering the information that you now have, choose the best alternative for an equivalent
expression to dpx (t)/dt .

Hint 1. What is Fx ?
Fx = F12 + F21

the total (internal) force on the system (as a whole). Use the information from the last part to simplify the
right-hand side of the above equation.
ANSWER:

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

9/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

0
nonzero constant
kt
kt

Correct
The derivative of the total momentum is zero; hence the total momentum is a constant function of time. We
have just shown that for the special case of a closed two-block system, the internal forces do not change the
total momentum of the system. It can be shown that in any system, the internal forces do not change the total
momentum: It is conserved. In other words, total momentum is always conserved in a closed system of
objects.

Collisions in One Dimension

On a frictionless horizontal air table, puck A (with mass 0.253kg ) is moving toward puck B (with mass 0.372kg ), which
is initially at rest. After the collision, puck A has velocity 0.118m/s to the left, and puck B has velocity 0.650m/s to the
right.

Part A
What was the speed vAi of puck A before the collision?

Hint 1. How to approach the problem

Apply the conservation of momentum equation. Keep in mind that momentum is a vector quantity, with both
magnitude and direction. In a one-dimesional problem like this one, the direction of the momentum vector
can be indicated by its sign. For the subparts that follow, take the positive direction to be to the right, the
initial direction of puck A.

Hint 2. The initial momentum

The initial momentum

pAi

is given by
pAi = (

0.253kg

) vAi

Hint 3. Find the final momentum of puck A

Find the final momentum

pAf

of puck A, including the sign. Assume that the positive x direction is to the

right.
ANSWER:
pAf

= 2.99102

kg m/s

Hint 4. Find the final momentum of puck B

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

10/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Find the final momentum

Bf

of puck B, including the sign. Assume that the positive x direction is to the

right.
ANSWER:
pBf

= 0.242

kg m/s

ANSWER:
vAi

= 0.838

m/s

Correct
If you are required to use the answer obtained for a subsequent hint or part, use your unrounded/full precision
answer.

Part B
Calculate K , the change in the total kinetic energy of the system that occurs during the collision.

Hint 1. How to approach the problem

Use the velocity and mass of each puck before and after the collision to find their respective kinetic energies.
The change in kinetic energy is then the final kinetic energy of the system minus the initial kinetic energy.

Hint 2. Find the initial kinetic energy of puck A

Find K Ai , the initial kinetic energy of puck A.
Express your answer in joules.
ANSWER:
K Ai

= 8.88102

Hint 3. Find the final kinetic energy of puck A

Find K Af , the final kinetic energy of puck A.
ANSWER:
K Af

= 1.76103

Hint 4. Find the final kinetic energy of puck B

Find K Bf , the final kinetic energy of puck B.
ANSWER:
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

11/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework
K Bf

= 7.86102

ANSWER:
K

= 8.43103

Correct

Exercise 8.22
When cars are equipped with flexible bumpers, they will bounce off each other during low-speed collisions, thus causing
less damage. In one such accident, a 1800kg car traveling to the right at 1.60m/s collides with a 1450kg car going to
the left at 1.10m/s . Measurements show that the heavier car's speed just after the collision was 0.260m/s in its
original direction. You can ignore any road friction during the collision.

Part A
What was the speed of the lighter car just after the collision?
ANSWER:
v

= 0.563

m/s

Correct

Part B
Calculate the change in the combined kinetic energy of the two-car system during this collision.
ANSWER:
K

= -2890

Correct

Exercise 8.23
Two identical 1.40kg masses are pressed against opposite ends of a spring of force constant 1.55N/cm , compressing
the spring by 25.0cm from its normal length.

Part A
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

12/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Find the maximum speed of each mass when it has moved free of the spring on a smooth, horizontal lab table.
ANSWER:
vmax

= 1.86

m/s

Correct

Exercise 8.31: Asteroid Collision

Two asteroids of equal mass in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter collide with a glancing blow. Asteroid A,
which was initially traveling at vA1 = 40.0 m/s with respect to an inertial frame in which asteroid B was at rest, is
deflected 30.0 from its original direction, while asteroid B travels at 45.0 to the original direction of A, as shown in .

Part A
Find the speed of asteroid A after the collision.
ANSWER:
vA2

= 29.3

m/s

Correct

Part B
Find the speed of asteroid B after the collision.
ANSWER:

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

13/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

vB2

= 20.7

m/s

Correct

Part C
What fraction of the original kinetic energy of asteroid A dissipates during this collision?
ANSWER:
0.196

Correct

Exercise 8.38
Two cars collide at an intersection. Car A, with a mass of 2000kg , is going from west to east, while car B, of mass
1400kg , is going from north to south at 17.0m/s . As a result of this collision, the two cars become enmeshed and
move as one afterwards. In your role as an expert witness, you inspect the scene and determine that, after the collision,
the enmeshed cars moved at an angle of 65.0 south of east from the point of impact.

Part A
How fast were the enmeshed cars moving just after the collision?
ANSWER:
v

= 7.72

m/s

Correct

Part B
How fast was car A going just before the collision?
ANSWER:
v

= 5.55

m/s

Correct

Exercise 8.42
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

kg

14/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

A bullet of mass 4.00g is fired horizontally into a wooden block of mass 1.28kg resting on a horizontal surface. The
coefficient of kinetic friction between block and surface is 0.210. The bullet remains embedded in the block, which is
observed to slide a distance 0.300m along the surface before stopping.

Part A
What was the initial speed of the bullet?
ANSWER:
v

= 357

m/s

Correct

Exercise 8.50
You are at the controls of a particle accelerator, sending a beam of 2.40107m/s protons (mass m ) at a gas target of
an unknown element. Your detector tells you that some protons bounce straight back after a collision with one of the
nuclei of the unknown element. All such protons rebound with a speed of 2.10107m/s . Assume that the initial speed
of the target nucleus is negligible and the collision is elastic.

Part A
Find the mass of one nucleus of the unknown element. Express your answer in terms of the proton mass

ANSWER:
15.0

Correct

Part B
What is the speed of the unknown nucleus immediately after such a collision?
ANSWER:
3.00106

m/s

Correct

Surprising Exploding Firework

A mortar fires a shell of mass

at speed v0 . The shell explodes at the top of its trajectory (shown by a star in the

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

15/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

figure) as designed. However, rather than creating a shower of colored flares, it breaks into just two pieces, a smaller
1
4
piece of mass m and a larger piece of mass m . Both pieces land at exactly the same time. The smaller piece
5

lands perilously close to the mortar (at a distance of zero from the mortar). The larger piece lands a distance d from the
mortar. If there had been no explosion, the shell would have landed a distance r from the mortar. Assume that air
resistance and the mass of the shell's explosive charge are negligible.

Part A
Find the distance d from the mortar at which the larger piece of the shell lands.
Express d in terms of r.

Hint 1. Find the position of the center of mass in terms of r

The two exploded pieces of the shell land at the same time. At the moment of landing, what is the distance
xcm from the mortar to the center of mass of the exploded pieces?
Express your answer in terms of r.

Hint 1. Key idea

The explosion only exerts internal forces on the particles. The only external force acting on the twopiece system is gravity, so the center of mass will continue along the original trajectory of the shell.
ANSWER:
xcm

Hint 2. Find the position of the center of mass in terms of d

The larger piece of the shell lands a distance d from the mortar, and the smaller piece lands a distance zero
from the mortar. What is xcm , the final distance of the shell's center of mass from the mortar?
Express your answer in terms of d.
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

16/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Hint 1. A helpful figure

Here is a figure to help you visualize the situation.

ANSWER:
xcm

4d
5

ANSWER:
d

1.25r

Correct

The Center of Mass of the Earth-Moon-Sun System

A common, though incorrect, statement is, "The Moon orbits the Earth." That creates an image of the Moons orbit that
looks like that shown in the figure.
The Earth's gravity pulls on the Moon, causing it to orbit. However, by Newtons third law, it is known that the Moon
exerts a force back on the Earth. Therefore, the Earth should move in response to the Moon. Thus a more accurate
statement is, "The Moon and the Earth both orbit the center of mass of the Earth-Moon system."

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

17/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

In this problem, you will calculate the location of the center of mass for the Earth-Moon system, and then you will
calculate the center of mass of the Earth-Moon-Sun system. The mass of the Moon is 7.351022kg , the mass of the
Earth is 6.001024kg , and the mass of the sun is 2.001030kg . The distance between the Moon and the Earth is
3.80105km . The distance between the Earth and the Sun is 1.50108km .

Part A
Calculate the location xcm of the center of mass of the Earth-Moon system. Use a coordinate system in which the
center of the Earth is at

x = 0

and the Moon is located in the positive x direction.

Express your answer in kilometers to three significant figures.

Hint 1. Calculating the center of mass

The general equation for the center of mass

xcm

for a system of two particles of masses

xcm =

m1 x1 + m2 x2
m1 +m2

m1

and m2 is

where x1 and x2 are the locations of the particles in the given coordinate system.
While the Earth and Moon are very large bodies, treating them as particles is reasonable in this problem,
because the distance between them is much greater than their radii.

Hint 2. Find the coordinates of the Earth and Moon

Taking the center of the Earth as the origin of your coordinate system, what is the x coordinate of the Moon
xm ?
Express your answer in kilometers to three significant figures.
ANSWER:
xm

= 3.80105

km

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

18/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

ANSWER:
4600

Correct

Part B
Where is the center of mass of the Earth-Moon system?
The radius of the Earth is 6378 km and the radius of the Moon is 1737 km. Select one of the answers below:
Choose the correct description of the location of the center of mass of the Earth-Moon system.
ANSWER:
The center of mass is exactly in the center between the Earth and the Moon.
The center of mass is nearer to the Moon than the Earth, but outside the radius of the Moon.
The center of mass is nearer to the Earth than the Moon, but outside the radius of the Earth.
The center of mass is inside the Earth.
The center of mass is inside the Moon.

Correct
As you can see, the center of mass for the Earth-Moon system actually lies within the radius of the Earth. For
this reason, saying that the Moon orbits the Earth is often a good approximation, though in fact, both the Earth
and the Moon orbit that point with a period of 28 days. The Moon makes large orbits around the center of mass
of the Earth-Moon system, whereas the center of the Earth makes small orbits.

Part C
Calculate the location of the center of mass of the Earth-Moon-Sun system during a full Moon. A full Moon occurs
when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are lined up as shown in the figure. Use a coordinate system in which the center of
the sun is at x = 0 and the Earth and Moon both lie along the positive x direction.
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

19/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Express your answer in kilometers to three

significant figures.

Hint 1. Calculating the center of mass

The general equation for the center of mass

xcm

for a system of thee particles of masses

m1

m2

, and m3

is
xcm =

where x1 ,

x2

m1x1 +m2 x2 +m3 x3

m1 +m2 +m3

, and x3 refer to the distances to each of the three particles from the origin.

ANSWER:
xcm

= 456

km

Correct
The equatorial radius of the Sun is 695,000 km. As you can see, the center of mass for the Sun-Earth-Moon
system is well within the Sun. However, if you were to find the center of mass of the Jupiter-Sun system, you
would find that it is slightly above the surface of the Sun at 780,000 km from the center of the Sun. A distant
alien civilization would not be able to see Jupiter directly, because it is far too faint, but they would be able to
see the Sun move back and forth as it orbited the center of mass with Jupiter. Because the sun is "wobbling,"
alien scientists would be able to infer that there was a planet around the Sun. This is one of the methods that
human scientists are using to identify planets around other stars.

Exercise 8.54
A 1200-kg station wagon is moving along a straight highway at 12.0 m/s. Another car, with mass 1800 kg and speed
20.0 ,m/s has its center of mass 40.0 m ahead of the center of mass of the station wagon .

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

20/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part A
Find the position of the center of mass of the system consisting of the two automobiles.
ANSWER:
xcm

= 16.0

behind the leading car

Correct

Part B
Find the magnitude of the total momentum of the system from the above data.
ANSWER:
Px1

= 5.04104

kg m/s

Correct

Part C
Find the speed of the center of mass of the system.
ANSWER:
vcm,x

= 16.8

m/s

Correct

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

21/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part D
Find the total momentum of the system, using the speed of the center of mass.
ANSWER:
Px2

= 5.04104

kg m/s

Correct

Part E
Compare your result of part D with that of part B.
ANSWER:
Px1

>

Px2

Px1

<

Px2

Px1

Px2

Correct

Conservation of Momentum in Inelastic Collisions

Learning Goal:
To understand the vector nature of momentum in the case in which two objects collide and stick together.
In this problem we will consider a collision of two moving objects such that after the collision, the objects stick together
and travel off as a single unit. The collision is therefore completely inelastic.
You have probably learned that "momentum is conserved" in an inelastic collision. But how does this fact help you to
solve collision problems? The following questions should help you to clarify the meaning and implications of the
statement "momentum is conserved."

Part A
What physical quantities are conserved in this collision?
ANSWER:
the magnitude of the momentum only
the net momentum (considered as a vector) only
the momentum of each object considered individually

Correct
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

22/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part B
Two cars of equal mass collide inelastically and stick together after the collision. Before the collision, their speeds
are v1 and v2 . What is the speed of the two-car system after the collision?

Hint 1. How to approach the problem

Think about how you would calculate the final speed of the two cars with the information provided and using
the idea of conservation of momentum. Better yet, try the calculation out. What do you get?
ANSWER:
v1 + v2
v1 v2
v2 v1

v 1 v 2
v1 +v2
2

2
2
v 1 + v 2

The answer depends on the directions in which the cars were moving before the collision.

Correct

Part C
Two cars collide inelastically and stick together after the collision. Before the collision, the magnitudes of their
momenta are p1 and p2 . After the collision, what is the magnitude of their combined momentum?

Hint 1. How to approach the problem

Think about how you would calculate the final momentum of the two cars using the information provided and
the idea of conservation of momentum. Better yet, try the calculation out. What do you get? Keep in mind
that momentum is a vector, but you are asked about the magnitude of the momentum, which is a scalar.
ANSWER:

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

23/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

p1 + p2
p1 p2
p2 p1

p1 p2
p 1 +p 2
2

2
2
p
+ p2
1

The answer depends on the directions in which the cars were moving before the collision.

Correct

Part D
Two cars collide inelastically and stick together after the collision. Before the collision, their momenta are p 1 and

p2

. After the collision, their combined momentum is

. Of what can one be certain?

Hint 1. Momentum is a vector

Momentum is a vector quantity, and conservation of momentum holds for two-dimensional and threedimensional collisions as well as for one-dimensional collisions.
ANSWER:

p = p1 + p2

p = p p
1

p = p2 p1

Correct
You can decompose the vector equation that states the conservation of momentum into individual equations for
each of the orthogonal components of the vectors.

Part E
Two cars collide inelastically and stick together after the collision. Before the collision, the magnitudes of their
momenta are p1 and p2 . After the collision, the magnitude of their combined momentum is p. Of what can one be
certain?

Hint 1. How to approach the problem mathematically

Momentum is a vector quantity. It is impossible to make exact predictions about the direction of motion after
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

24/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

a collision if nothing is known about the direction of motion before the collision. However, one can put some
bounds on the values of the final momentum. Start with the expression for p from Part D:

p = p1 + p2

Therefore,

2
2
2
2

|p| = p1 + p2 =
|p1 | + |p2 | + 2 p1 p2 = |p1 | + |p2 | + 2|p1 ||p2 | cos

where is the angle between p1 and p2 . (To derive the above, you would have to break each vector into
components.) So the value of |p| is controlled by .

Hint 2. How to approach the problem empirically

Consider the directions for the initial momenta that will give the largest and smallest final momentum.
ANSWER:
p

+p

+p

p p p
1
2

p 1 +p 2

+p

p |p

+p

2
2
p p
+p

p |
2

Correct
When the two cars collide, the magnitude of the final momentum will always be at most
attained if the cars were moving in the same direction before the collision) and at least

+p

(a value

p |

(a value

|p

attained if the cars were moving in opposite directions before the collision).

A Superball Collides Inelastically with a Table

As shown in the figure , a superball with mass m equal to 50 grams is dropped from a height of hi = 1.5 m . It collides
with a table, then bounces up to a height of hf = 1.0 m . The duration of the collision (the time during which the
superball is in contact with the table) is tc = 15 ms . In this problem, take the positive y direction to be upward, and
use g = 9.8 m/s2 for the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity. Neglect air resistance.

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

25/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part A
Find the y component of the momentum,

pbefore,y

, of the ball immediately before the collision.

Express your answer numerically, to two significant figures.

You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

before,y

kg m/s

Part B
Find the y component of the momentum of the ball immediately after the collision, that is, just as it is leaving the
table.
Express your answer numerically, to two significant figures.
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

after,y

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

kg m/s

26/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part C
Find J y , the y component of the impulse imparted to the ball during the collision.
Express your answer numerically, to two significant figures.
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

Jy

kg m/s

Part D
Find the y component of the time-averaged force Favg,y , in newtons, that the table exerts on the ball.
Express your answer numerically, to two significant figures.
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

Favg

Part E
Find K after

K before

, the change in the kinetic energy of the ball during the collision, in joules.

Express your answer numerically, to two significant figures.

You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

K after K before

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

27/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Exercise 8.15
To warm up for a match, a tennis player hits the 58.0g ball vertically with her racket.

Part A
If the ball is stationary just before it is hit and goes 5.30m high, what impulse did she impart to it?
ANSWER:

kg m/s

Pucks on Ice
Two hockey players, Aaron and Brunnhilde, are pushing two pucks on a frictionless ice rink. The pucks are initially at
rest on the starting line. Brunnhilde is pushing puck B, which
has a mass three times as great as that of puck A, which
Aaron is pushing. The players exert equal constant forces of
magnitude F on their pucks, directed horizontally, towards
the finish line. They start pushing at the same time, and each
player pushes his or her puck until it crosses the finish line, a
distance d away.

Part A
Which puck reaches the finish line first?
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

28/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Both pucks reach the finish line at the same time.

Puck A reaches the finish line first.
Puck B reaches the finish line first.
More information is needed to answer this question.

Part B
Let

KA

be the magnitude of the kinetic energy of puck A at the instant it reaches the finish line. Similarly,

KB

is

the magnitude of the kinetic energy of puck B at the (possibly different) instant it reaches the finish line. Which of
the following statements is true?
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:
KA = K B
KA < K B
KA > K B

You need more information to decide.

Part C
This question will be shown after you complete previous question(s).

Momentum in an Explosion
A giant "egg" explodes as part of a fireworks display. The egg is at rest before the explosion, and after the explosion, it
breaks into two pieces, with the masses indicated in the diagram, traveling in opposite directions.

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

29/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part A
What is the momentum

p A,i

of piece A before the explosion?

Express your answer numerically in kilogram meters per second.

You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

A,i

kg m/s

Part B
During the explosion, is the magnitude of the force of piece A on piece B greater than, less than, or equal to the
magnitude of the force of piece B on piece A?
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:
greater than
less than
equal to
cannot be determined

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

30/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part C
The momentum of piece B,

p B,f

, is measured to be 500 kg m/s after the explosion. Find the momentum

p A,f

of

piece A after the explosion.

Enter your answer numerically in kilogram meters per second.
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

A,f

kg m/s

Exercise 8.20
You are standing on a sheet of ice that covers the football stadium parking lot in Buffalo; there is negligible friction
between your feet and the ice. A friend throws you a ball of mass 0.400kg that is traveling horizontally at 10.0m/s .
Your mass is 70.0kg .

Part A
If you catch the ball, with what speed do you and the ball move afterwards?
ANSWER:

cm/s

Part B
If the ball hits you and bounces off your chest, so afterwards it is moving horizontally at 7.50m/s in the opposite
direction, what is your speed after the collision?
ANSWER:

cm/s

Exercise 8.27
kg
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

kg

31/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Two ice skaters, Daniel (mass 60.0kg ) and Rebecca (mass 45.0kg ), are practicing. Daniel stops to tie his shoelace
and, while at rest, is struck by Rebecca, who is moving at 13.0m/s before she collides with him. After the collision,
Rebecca has a velocity of magnitude 6.00m/s at an angle of 55.1 from her initial direction. Both skaters move on the
frictionless, horizontal surface of the rink.

Part A
What is the magnitude of Daniel's velocity after the collision?
ANSWER:

m/s

Part B
What is the direction of Daniel's velocity after the collision?
ANSWER:

from the Rebecca's original direction

Part C
What is the change in total kinetic energy of the two skaters as a result of the collision?
ANSWER:

Exercise 8.28
You are standing on a large sheet of frictionless ice and are holding a large rock. In order to get off the ice, you throw
the rock so it has velocity relative to the earth of 11.5m/s at an angle of 36.0 above the horizontal.

Part A
If your mass is 70.0kg and the rock's mass is 14.1kg , what is your speed after you throw the rock?
ANSWER:

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

32/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

m/s

A Girl on a Trampoline
A girl of mass m1 = 60 kilograms springs from a trampoline with an initial upward velocity of vi = 8.0 meters per
second. At height h = 2.0 meters above the trampoline, the girl grabs a box of mass m2 = 15 kilograms.
For this problem, use g = 9.8 meters per second per second
for the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity.

Part A
What is the speed vbefore of the girl immediately before she grabs the box?
Express your answer numerically in meters per second.
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

vbefore

m/s

Part B
What is the speed vafter of the girl immediately after she grabs the box?
Express your answer numerically in meters per second.

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

33/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

You did not open hints for this part.

ANSWER:

vafter

m/s

Part C
This question will be shown after you complete previous question(s).

Part D
What is the maximum height

hmax

that the girl (with box) reaches? Measure hmax with respect to the top of the

trampoline.
Express your answer numerically in meters.
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

hmax

Trading Momenta in a Collision

Two particles move perpendicular to each other until they collide. Particle 1 has mass m and momentum of magnitude
2p, and particle 2 has mass 2m and momentum of magnitude p. Note: Magnitudes are not drawn to scale in any of the
figures.

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

34/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part A
Suppose that after the collision, the particles "trade" their momenta, as shown in the figure. That is, particle 1 now
has magnitude of momentum p, and particle 2 has magnitude of momentum 2p; furthermore, each particle is now
moving in the direction in which the other had been moving. How much kinetic energy,

K lost

, is lost in the

collision?
Express your answer in terms of m and p.

You did not open hints for this part.

ANSWER:

K lost

Part B
Consider an alternative situation: This time the particles collide completely inelastically. How much kinetic energy
K lost is lost in this case?
Express your answer in terms of m and p.

You did not open hints for this part.

ANSWER:

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

35/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

K lost

Sinking the 9-Ball

Jeanette is playing in a 9-ball pool tournament. She will win if she sinks the 9-ball from the final rack, so she needs to
line up her shot precisely. Both the cue ball and the 9-ball have mass m, and the cue ball is hit at an initial speed of vi .
Jeanette carefully hits the cue ball into the 9-ball off center, so that when the balls collide, they move away from each
other at the same angle from the direction in which the cue ball was originally traveling (see figure). Furthermore, after
the collision, the cue ball moves away at speed vf , while the 9-ball moves at speed v9 .
For the purposes of this problem, assume that the collision is
perfectly elastic, neglect friction, and ignore the spinning of
the balls.

Part A
Find the angle that the 9-ball travels away from the horizontal, as shown in the figure.
Express your answer in degrees to three significant figures.
You did not open hints for this part.
ANSWER:

Exercise 8.56
At one instant, the center of mass of a system of two particles is located on the x-axis at
^
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

= 2.0 m and has a velocity

36/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

of (5.0 m/s ) ^
i . One of the particles is at the origin. The other particle has a mass of 0.10 kg and is at rest on the xaxis at x = 8.0 m.

Part A
What is the mass of the particle at the origin?
Express your answer using two significant figures.
ANSWER:

m1

kg

Part B
Calculate the total momentum of this system.
Express your answer using two significant figures.
ANSWER:

^
P

^
kg m/s i

Part C
What is the velocity of the particle at the origin?
Express your answer using two significant figures.
ANSWER:

v1

^
m/s i

Exercise 8.55
A machine part consists of a thin, uniform 4.00-kg bar that is 1.50 m long, hinged perpendicular to a similar vertical bar
of mass 3.00 kg and length 1.80 m. The longer bar has a small but dense 2.00-kg ball at one end

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

37/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part A
By what distance will the center of mass of this part move horizontally and vertically if the vertical bar is pivoted
counterclockwise through 90 to make the entire part horizontal?
Find the magnitude of horizontal displacement.
ANSWER:

|x|

Part B
Find the direction of horizontal displacement.
ANSWER:
to le left
to the right

Part C
Find the magnitude of vertical displacement.
ANSWER:

|y|

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

38/40

4/24/2014

Chapter 8 Homework

Part D
Find the direction of vertical displacement.
ANSWER:
upward
downward

Exercise 8.58
A system consists of two particles. At t = 0 one particle is at the origin; the other, which has a mass of 0.50 kg, is on
the y -axis at y = 6.0m. At t = 0 the center of mass of the system is on the y -axis at y = 2.4m. The velocity of the
3

center of mass is given by ( 0.75 m/s ) t2 ^

i.

Part A
Find the total mass of the system.
ANSWER:

m1 + m2

kg

Part B
Find the acceleration of the center of mass at any time t.
Express your answer using two significant figures.
ANSWER:

a cm

3
^
(m/s ) t i

Part C
Find the net external force acting on the system at

= 3.0 s.

Express your answer using two significant figures.

ANSWER:

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

39/40

4/24/2014

F ext

Chapter 8 Homework

^
Ni

Score Summary:
Your score on this assignment is 107%.
You received 13.92 out of a possible total of 14 points, plus 1.02 points of extra credit.

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=2818796

40/40