A2 PHYSICS CLASS TEST ON NEWTONS LAWS, MOMENTUM AND IMPULSE

DURATION 1 HOUR TOTAL MARKS: 30

Question 1

Define linear momentum.

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The principle of conservation of linear momentum is a consequence of Newton’s laws of

1. During the collision the trolleys push each other.

2. These forces are of the same size but in opposite directions.

3. As a result, the momentum of one trolley must increase at the same rate as the momentum
of the other decreases.

4. Therefore the total momentum of the two trolleys must remain constant.

In which line of his argument is the candidate using Newton’s second law?

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In which line is he using Newton’s third law?

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The student is making one important assumption which he has not stated. State this assumption.
Explain at what point it comes into the argument.

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Describe how you could check experimentally that momentum is conserved in a collision
between two trolleys.

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Question 2

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A model truck A of mass 1.2 kg is travelling due west with a speed of 0.90 m s . A second truck B of
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mass 4.0 kg is travelling due east towards A with a speed of 0.35 m s .

Calculate the magnitude of the total momentum of the trucks.

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Total momentum = ..........................................

The trucks collide and stick together. Determine their velocity after the collision.

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Velocity = ............................................................................................................................
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Question 3
Two boys, one with mass 60.0 kg and the other with mass 90 kg are facing each other on a
frictionless ice surface. One of them pushes the other with a force of 360 N for 0.10 s.
a) what is the acceleration of each boy?

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b) what speed will each boy reach at the end of 0.10 s?

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c) does it matter who does the pushing?

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Question 4
A force of 36 N gives a mass m1 an acceleration of 4.0 m/s2. The same force gives a mass m2 an
acceleration of 12.0 m/s2. What acceleration will this force give to m1 and m2 if they are
fastened together?

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Question 5
In a football game, a receiver is standing still, having just caught a pass. Before he can move, a tackler,
running at a velocity of +5.0 m/s, grabs him. The tackler holds onto the receiver, and the two move off
together with a velocity of +2.6 m/s. The mass of the tackler is 119 kg. Assuming that momentum is
conserved, find the mass of the receiver.

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Question 6
A 2.5 kg ball and a 5.0 kg ball have an elastic collision. The 2.5 kg ball was at rest and the other ball had a
speed of 3.5 m/s. What is the kinetic energy of the 2.5 kg ball after the collision?

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Question 7
If the unit of force is F, the unit of velocity is V and the unit for time is T, then what would be the unit for
momentum in terms of F,V and T?Choose the correct answer from the following – FTV, FT, FT/V or FV/T.

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