2.

7
5. State the Newton’s Thrid law of Motion.
For every action there is a reaction of equal
Learning Standard magnitude but in the opposite direction.
2.7.1 Communicate to explain impulse and
impulsive force
2.7.2 Solve problems involving impulse and 6. State two physics quantities which can
impulsive force produce larger change of momentum or
impulse
Ft = mv – mu = change in momentum
F larger, t larger, change in momentum larger

7. Explain why the football

player throws the ball as
shown in the diagram.
In an accident, the force which acted can cause • Long time, Ft large
severe damage and injuries. The strong force • Change of momentum
acted in a short time interval is known as (mv-mu) larger
impulsive force. • Ball moves with high
velocity
Exercise 1: • Moves further
Given: F = impulsive force
m = mass t = time
u = initial velocity v = final velocity
8. A boy is riding a
1. From equation F = ma, derive an equation for skateboard. His
impulsive force. right foot pushes
F = ma = m (v – u) = (mv – mu) the concrete floor
t t with a strong
= change of momentum pushing force and
time, t long action time to
= rate of change of momentum push the
skateboard forward. Why?
• Long time, Ft large, large impulse
2. What is the meaning of impulsive force?
• Change of momentum (mv-mu) larger
Rate of change of momentum
// force acts in short of time during collisions • Skate board moves with high velocity
or explosion.
9. State the relationship between impulsive
3. From equation which is derived in question 1, force and time of impact. (change of
derived an equation for change of momentum. momentum is constant)
Inversely proportional
F = (mv – mu)
t time Impulsive force
change of momentum = mv – mu = Ft high/low
Longer period of time low

4. What is the meaning of impulse? Shorter period of time high

Impulse = change of momentum

2.(a) Hit a table slowly with
your hand. Is
impulsive force act
on your hand big or
small?
small
(b) Hit the table harder. Describe what happens
to your hand in terms of impulsive force.
Painful because high impulsive force

(c) Hit the table faster. Describe what happens

to the impulsive force on your hand.
Painful , Contact time the hand with the table is
shorter, high impulsive force Crumple zone of Collision causes a car to
a car stop and experience a
change in momentum. The
crumple zone of the car
extends the impact time
during collision.
Impulsive force reduced.
Air bag The air bag absorbs the
impact of the crash by
increasing the time the
driver stopped and reduce
impulsive force.
Reduce the effect of inertia
impulsive force needs to be reduced by preventing the driver
Situations Explanation from hitting the steering
wheel, dashboard and
A high jumper The time interval of impact
windscreen.
lands on the on landing is extended
thick mattress. Reduce impulsive force
Items that are fragile, such as eggs, glass and
electrical appliances must be packed in
materials that are soft and compressible. Why?
The time interval of impact is extended
Reduce impulsive force
Do not break easily

Goal keepers will The time interval of impact

wear gloves to when catching the ball
catch a ball. extended
Reduce impulsive force

An impulsive force is beneficial

The time interval of impact Situations Explanation
on landing is extended A karate expert
Reduce impulsive force can break a thick
wooden slab with
his bare hand that
moves at a very The hand moves faster. The
fast speed. time of impact when the
A long jumper hand contact with the wood
will bend his is shortened. Increase
legs upon impulsive force
landing.
A baseball player A massive The time of contact
must catch the hammer head between the hammer head
ball in the moving at a fast and nail short. The
direction of the speed is brought impulsive force is bigger.
motion of the Short time long time to rest upon So the nail can move into
ball. hitting the nail. the wall easily.
The time of impact when
catching the ball is extended
Reduce impulsive force
 A football must When the air pressure u= 20 m/s v = - 40 m/s
have enough air inside the ball is enough, t = 0.01 s m = 0.2 kg
pressure in it. the time of impact is short. Impuls = Ft = mv - mu
Impulsive force on the ball = 0.2(40) – (0.2)(-20)
is big and it will move =8+4
further and faster. = 12 kgms-1

(b) What is the impulsive force exerted on

the tennis ball?
F = (mv – mu)/t = -12/0.01
= - 1200 N
When a pestle is used to
pound chillies the hard
surfaces of both the pestle 4. Ali with mass of 60
and mortar cause the pestle kg jumps from the
to be stopped in a very first floor of a
short time. A large burning house. His
impulsive force is produced velocity just before
A pestle moving and causes these spices to landing on the
at high velocity is be crushed easily. ground is 6 ms-1.
stopped by a hard
mortar in a short (a) Calculate the
interval of time. impulse when his
legs hit the ground.
Impuls = mv – mu
= 60(0 – 6)
Exercsise 1: = - 360 kgms-1
1. A golfer hits a golf ball of mass 50 g at a
velocity of 50 m s–1. If the impact time is 0.005 (b) What is the impulsive force on the resident’s
s, what is the impulsive force acting on the legs if he bends upon landing and takes 0.5 s
golf ball? to stop?
m = 0.05 kg v = 40 t = 0.005 s F=? F = (mv – mu)/t = -360/0.5 = - 720 N
F = mv – mu = (0.05)(40) – 0 = 400 N
t 0.005 (c) What is the impulsive force on the resident’s
legs if he does not bend and stops in 0.05 s?
2. Mokhtar Dahari kicks a ball with a force of 1500 F = (mv – mu)/t = -360/0.05 = - 7200 N
N. The time of contact of his boot with the ball
is 0.01 s. What is the impulse delivered to the (d) What is the advantage of bending his legs
ball? If the mass of the ball is 0.5 kg, what is upon landing?
the velocity of the ball? Increase time of impact, reduce impulsive force.
F = 1500 N t = 0.01 s m = 0.5 kg
Impuls = Ft = mv - mu
(1500)(0.01) = (0.5)v – 0 TUTORIAL 2.7:
0.5 v = 15 1 A softball player
v = 30 m/s moves his hand
backwards while
3. In a tennis match, a player hits an on-coming catching a fast-
ball with mass of 0.2 kg and velocity of 20 ms-1 moving ball.
The ball rebounds with a velocity of 40 m s-1. This movement of
The time taken in the collision between the ball the hand is to
and the tennis racket is 0.01 s. A. increase the
impulsive force
B. increase the stopping time of the ball
C. control the ball to stop it falling

2 Impulse is a vector quantity. It has unit N

s. Which of the following units also
belongs to impulse?
A. kg ms-2
B. kg ms-1
(a) What is the impulse experienced by the C. N s-1
ball? D. N ms-
3 An athlete performing the high jump. He 6 Why are the front and rear sections of a
lands on a mattress. What is the function car designed to crumple easily? (2007)
of the mattress? (2005) A. To increase impact time
B. To decrease momentum
C. To increase friction
D. To decrease impulse

7. Diagram 5.1 and 5.2 show two methods of

catching a ball.

A. to reduce the collision time between

the athlete and the mattress.
B. To reduce the change of momentum of
the athlete when he hits the mattress.
C. To reduce the impulsive force acting on
Diagram 5.1 Diagram 5.2
the athlete when he hits the mattress.
Which of the following explains the
4 Diagram below
magnitude of the impulsive force on the
shows a parachutist
hands when catching the ball? (2009)
landing with his legs
Diagram 5.1 Diagram 5.2
bent.
A Small Small
Why does the B Small Big
parachutist bend his C Big Small
legs? D Big Big
A. To lengthen the
time of impact of 8. Diagram 4 shows a car.
his feet with the ground.
B. To shorten the time impact of his feet
with the ground
C. To lengthen the time of falling to the
ground

5 A box with a mass of 55 kg being dropped

from a helicopter. At the moment before
touching the ground, the velocity of the
Diagram 4
box is 12 ms-1. The box stops 2 seconds
after touching the ground.
The crumple zone is designed to ……(2010)
A. Reduce the momentum
B. Increase the impulsive force
C. Lengthen the collision time
D. Turn the kinetic energy into gravitational
potential energy.

9. Diagram 2 shows an athlete bending his legs

upon landing in a long jump event.

What is the magnitude of the impulsive

force acted on the box?
A. 660 N
B. 330 N
C. 122 N
D. 110 N
F = mv – mu = (55)(12) - 0 The athlete bent his legs to reduce the
t 2 A. Impulse on his feet
B. Impulsive force on his feet
C. Velocity just before landing
D. Time of impact between his feet and the
sand.
 2. SPM 2018
PAPER 2 SECTION A1. Diagram 2 shows a sprinter pressing on a pair of
1. Question 2 (SPM 2009) starting block to start running. Mass of the
Diagram 16 shows an egg being dropped onto a sprinter is 60 kg.
wooden block. The egg cracks after an impact.
The velocity of the egg just before the impact is 5
ms-1.

(a) Mass is a base / scalar quantity.

[1 mark]

(b) Complete the following sentence by ticking

(√) the correct answer.

The starting block is used to

Diagram 16 ……….. decrease inertia

……√….. increase the change of momentum

(a) Name the force involved during the impact. [1 mark]
Impulsive force
[1 m] (c) The sprinter exerting a force of 450 N on the
starting block for 400 ms. Calculate the
(b) Give one reason why the egg cracked after impulse of the sprinter.
the impact. [3 marks]
Short time interval / hard surface t = 400 ms = 400 x 10-3 s = 0.4 s
[1 m] impuls = Ft = 450 x 0.4 = 180 Ns
(c) The mass of the egg is 0.05 kg. Calculate
the momentum just before the impact.
Momentum = mv = 0.05 x 5
= 0.25 kg ms-1
[2 m]

(d) Give one suggestion how you would avoid

the egg from cracking when dropped from
the same height.
Use mattress or drop into water.
[1 m]