Impulse and Momentum

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Video Clips

Conservation of Momentum (8.01, Fall 1999)

Video RealVideo®
6:29 minutes (0:00 - 6:29)

Definitions, including p = mv and F = dp/dt.

Prior Knowledge: Force
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Impulse (8.01, Fall 1999)

Video RealVideo®
9:38 minutes (11:52 - 21:30)

Definition, including impulse as δp and F/δt; impact times and forces.

Prior Knowledge: Momentum (Beginning of V15)
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Basketball and Tennis Ball (8.01, Fall 1999)

Video RealVideo®
2:38 minutes (21:30 - 24:08)

Dropping a tennis ball on top of a basketball causes the tennis ball to bounce very high.

Prior Knowledge: Impulse (11:52 of V17)
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Impulse and Thrust (8.01, Fall 1999)

Video RealVideo®
7:31 minutes (24:08 - 31:39)

Throwing objects produces recoil; comparison of recoil to thrust; calculation of rocket thrust for Saturn rocket.

Prior Knowledge: Impulse (11:52 of V17)
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Lecture Notes

Momentum (8.01, Fall 2003)

Document PDF - 1.6 MB#
Page 1 to page 4

Definition of momentum (p = m*v); Newton's laws and momentum; law of conservation of momentum of a particle and of a system of particles, with examples; relationship between forces and momentum; elastic and inelastic collision, with examples.

Prior Knowledge: Newton's Laws
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Impulse and Collisions (8.01, Fall 2003)

Document PDF#
Page 1 to page 6

Definition of impulsive force, with example; elastic and inelastic collisions, with examples in one-dimension and two-dimensions.

Prior Knowledge: Momentum, Conservation of Energy
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Momentum (8.01, Fall 2003)

Document PDF - 1.5 MB#
Page 1 to page 9

Definition of momentum (p = m*v); Newton's laws and momentum; Law of conservation of momentum of a particle and of a system of particles, with examples; relationship between forces and momentum; elastic and inelastic collision, with examples.

Prior Knowledge: Newton's Laws
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Impulse and Collisions (8.01, Fall 2003)

Document PDF - 1.2 MB#
Page 2 to page 16

Definition of impulsive force, with example; elastic and inelastic collisions, with examples in one-dimension and two-dimensions.

Prior Knowledge: Momentum, Conservation of Energy
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Power and Momentum (8.01L, Fall 2005)

Document PDF
Page 1

Power defined, with equation (P = F*v); impulse defined; center of mass defined; velocity and momentum of center of mass.

Prior Knowledge: Momentum
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Newton's First Law (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF#
Page 5 to page 7

Definition of inertial mass; standard kilogram; definition of momentum (p = m*v).

Prior Knowledge: One Dimensional Motion
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Newton's Second Law (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF#
Page 8 to page 12

Definition of force (F=ma); superposition principle; definition of impulse and average impulse; Newton's second law equations for force, acceleration, momentum.

Prior Knowledge: Newton's First Law, derivatives, integrals
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Conservation of Momentum (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF
Page 1 to page 27

Definition of momentum (p = m*v) and impulse; non-constant force and impulse; conservation of momentum; translational motion of the center of mass; modeling external forces and conservation of momentum; modeling of instantaneous collisions; momentum diagrams and equations.

Prior Knowledge: Newton's Laws
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Collision Theory (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF#
Page 1 to page 20

Momentum and impulse equations; definition of conservation of momentum for an isolated system; momentum problem solving strategies; momentum diagram and equations; planar collision theory; elastic collisions; 2D elastic collision example problem.

Prior Knowledge: Lecture 19
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Linear Momentum Review (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF
Page 1 to page 8

Momentum and change of momentum defined, with equations; strategies for solving momentum and impulse problems; collisions and conservation of momentum; center of mass.

Prior Knowledge: Lectures 19, 21
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Practice Problems

Energy and Momentum (8.01L, Fall 2005)

Document PDF
Problem 1 to problem 1

Friction and acceleration; which forces must be known to solve for energy and momentum; kinetic energy and momentum in a collision. Solution not included.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Kinetic Energy and Impulse (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF
Problem 3

Kinetic energy of two blocks of unequal mass that experience the same impulse. Solution not included.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Momentum and Stopping Force (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF
Problem 4

Distance needed to stop a ping-pong ball and a bowling ball, which have the same initial momentum. Solution not included.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Momentum of Isolated Systems (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF
Problem 4 to problem 8

Concept questions about conservation of momentum in isolated systems of one or more bodies. Solution not included.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Impulse and Momentum (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF
Problem 3

Motion of a ball falling and bouncing off of the ground.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Impulse and Momentum (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF
Problem 1

Force acting on the ankle of a person jumping to the ground from a height.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Space Shuttle Acceleration (8.01, Fall 1999)

Document PDF#
Problem 9

Finding fuel mass used for shuttle acceleration.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Saturn V Rocket (8.01, Fall 1999)

Document PDF#
Problem 10

5-part impulse problem; calculating velocity, acceleration, burn time for rocket.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Delivering Impulse to a Rod (8.01, Fall 1999)

Document PDF#
Problem 9

A rod is hit off-center; finding velocity, ω, position, and kinetic energy.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Going to the Sun (8.01, Fall 1999)

Document PDF#
Problem 3

7-part orbit problem; finding impulses to allow spacecraft to reach sun.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Exam Questions

Impulse for a Bouncing Ball (8.01X, Fall 2002)

Document PDF#
Problem 12

6-part problem; p of ball before and after hitting floor; average force and impulse; change in kinetic energy.

Prior Knowledge: None
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Momentum and Impulse (8.01T, Fall 2004)

Document PDF
Problem B1

Motion of a superball bouncing on a table.

Prior Knowledge: None
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MIT courses referenced in this section: