Momentum and Collisions Exam Review

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to momentum and collisions.

Momentum

The product of the mass and velocity of an object.

Conservation of Momentum

The total momentum of an isolated system remains constant if no external forces act on it.

Elastic Collision

A collision in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.

Inelastic Collision

A collision in which momentum is conserved, but kinetic energy is not.

Impulse

The change in momentum of an object when a force is applied for a period of time.

Units of Momentum

The standard units of momentum are kg·m/s.

Momentum Change

The difference between an object's final momentum and its initial momentum.

Impulse-Momentum Theorem

The impulse experienced by an object is equal to the change in momentum of that object.

Head-on Collision

A collision where two objects collide with their paths directed directly at each other.

Direction of Momentum Change

The direction of momentum change is determined by the direction of the forces acting on the objects.

Mass and Speed Relationship

Doubling both mass and speed results in a quadrupling of momentum.

Average Force in Collisions

The average force experienced by an object in a collision is related to its change in momentum.

Impulse Units

Impulse is measured in Newton-seconds (N·s) or kg·m/s.

Final Momentum of a System

In an inelastic collision, the final momentum of a system is equal to the total initial momentum.

Static and Dynamic Collisions

Static collisions start from rest while dynamic collisions involve moving objects.

Perfectly Elastic Collision

A collision in which both kinetic energy and momentum are conserved perfectly without air resistance, friction, or any other hindering forces

Collision Time

The duration over which the forces exerted during a collision act.

Impact Force

The average force acting to stop an object in a collision.