CHAPTER-15

KINETICS OF A PARTICLE:
Impulse & Momentum
 KINETICS OF A PARTICLE:
IMPULSE & MOMENTUM

• Principle of Linear Impulse & Momentum

• Conservation of Linear Momentum for A System of
Particles
• Impact
– Central Impact
– Oblique Impact
• Angular Momentum
 PRINCIPLE OF LINEAR IMPULSE & MOMENTUM

• The equation of motion for a particle of mass m can be written as:

∑ F = ma = m (dv/dt) ------------------------------(1)

• Rearranging the terms and integrating between limits v = v1 at t = t1 and v = v2 at

t = t2 we have: t2 v2

  F .dt  m  dv
t1 v1
t2
or   F.dt  mv 2  mv1 ----------------------------(2)
t1

• This equation is referred to as the principle of linear impulse and momentum.

• It provides a direct means of obtaining the particle’s final velocity v2 after a

specified time period when the particle’s initial velocity is known and the forces
acting on the particle are either constant or can be expressed as function of time.
 PRINCIPLE OF LINEAR IMPULSE & MOMENTUM
t2

  F.dt  mv 2  mv1 ----------------------------(2)

t1
Linear Momentum
• Each of the two vectors of the form L = mv in equation (2) is defined as the linear
momentum of the particle.
• Since m is a positive scalar, the linear momentum vector has the same direction as v,
and its magnitude mv has units of mass-velocity, e.g. kg-m/s

Linear Impulse
• The integral I = ∫F.dt in equation (2) is defined as linear impulse.
• It is a vector quantity which measures the effect of a force during the time the force
acts.
• Since time is a positive scalar quantity, the impulse vector acts in the same direction as
the force, and its magnitude has units of force-time, e.g. N-s.
• If the force is expressed as a function of time, the impulse may be determined by the
direct evaluation of the integral.
• However, if the force is constant in magnitude and direction, the resulting impulse
becomes I = Fc (t2 – t1)
 PRINCIPLE OF LINEAR IMPULSE & MOMENTUM
• For problem solving, equation (2) can be written as:
t2
mv1    F .dt  mv2 ------------------(3)
t1

• It states that the initial momentum of the particle at t1 plus the vector sum of all the
impulses applied to the particle during the time interval t1 to t2 is equivalent to the final
momentum of the particle at t2.
• These three terms are illustrated graphically on the impulse & momentum diagrams
shown below:
 PRINCIPLE OF LINEAR IMPULSE & MOMENTUM
Scalar Equations

• If each of these vectors in equation (3) is resolved into its x, y and z components, we
can write symbolically the following three scalar equations:

• These equations represent the principle of linear impulse and momentum for the
particle in the x, y and z directions respectively
PRINCIPLE OF LINEAR IMPULSE & MOMENTUM FOR
A SYSTEM OF PARTICLES

• For a system of particles, the principle of linear impulse and

momentum can be written as:
t2

 m (v )    F .dt   m (v )
i i 1 i i i 2
t1

• This equation states that the initial linear momenta of the system
plus the impulses of all the external forces acting on the system
during the time period t1 to t2 are equal to the system’s final
linear momenta.
PRINCIPLE OF LINEAR IMPULSE & MOMENTUM

Examples:
15.1, 15.2, 15.3
Fundamental Problems:
F15.1, F15.2, F15.5
Practice Problems:
15.10, 15.15, 15.20, 15.28, 15.30
EXAMPLE 15-1
The 100kg stone is originally at rest on the smooth horizontal surface.
If a towing force of 200N, acting at an angle of 45º, is applied to the
stone for 10s, determine the final velocity and the normal force which
the surface exerts on the stone during the time interval.
EXAMPLE 15-2
The 50lb crate shown is acted upon by a force having a variable
magnitude P=(20t) lb, where t is in seconds. Determine the crate’s
velocity 2s after P has been applied. The initial velocity is v1=3 ft/s
down the plane, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between the
crate and the plane is 0.3
EXAMPLE 15-3
Blocks A and B have a mass of 3kg and 5kg respectively. If the system
is released from rest, determine the velocity of the block in 6s.
Neglect the mass of the pulleys and the cord.
PROBLEM 15-10
The 20 lb cabinet is subjected to the force F=(3+2t) lb, where t is in
seconds. If the cabinet is initially moving down the plane with a
velocity of 6 ft/s, determine how long it will take the force to bring
the cabinet to rest. F always acts parallel to the plane. Neglect the
size of the rollers.
PROBLEM 15-30
The 0.15-kg baseball has a speed of v1 = 30 m/s just before it is struck
by the bat. It then travels along the trajectory shown before the
outfielder catches it. Determine the magnitude of the average impulsive
force imparted to the ball if it is in contact with the bat for 0.75 ms.
 CONSERVATION OF LINEAR MOMENTUM FOR A SYSTEM
OF PARTICLES

• When the sum of the external impulses acting on a system of

particles is zero, the above equation reduces to:

m i (vi )1   mi (vi ) 2

• This equation is referred to as the conservation of linear

momentum. It states that the vector sum of linear momenta for a
system of particles remains constant throughout the time period t1
to t2.
 CONSERVATION OF LINEAR MOMENTUM FOR A SYSTEM
OF PARTICLES
• The conservation of linear momentum is often applied when particles collide
or interact
• For application, a free body diagram for the entire system should be made
• By doing this, one will be able to identify the forces as creating either external
or internal impulses and thereby determine in what direction linear momentum
is conserved
• The internal impulses for the system will always cancel out, since they occur
in equal but opposite collinear pairs
• If the time period over which the motion is studied is very short, some of the
external impulses may also be neglected or considered approximately equal to
zero
• Forces causing these negligible impulses are called non-impulsive forces
• By comparison, forces which are very large, act for a very short period of
time, and yet produce a significant change in momentum are called impulsive
forces, and they cannot be neglected in the impulse and momentum analysis
 CONSERVATION OF LINEAR MOMENTUM FOR A SYSTEM
OF PARTICLES
• Impulsive forces normally occur due to an explosion or the striking of one
body against another, whereas non-impulsive forces may include the weight of
a body, the force imparted by a slightly deformed spring having a relatively
small stiffness, or for that matter, any force that is very small compared to
other larger (impulsive) forces
• When making this definition between impulsive and non-impulsive forces, it
is important to realize that it only applies during a specific time period
• For example, consider the effect of striking a baseball with a bat. During the
very short time of interaction, the force of the bat on the ball is impulsive since
it changes the ball’s momentum drastically. By comparison, the ball’s weight
will have a negligible effect on the change in momentum, and therefore it is
non-impulsive. Therefore, it can be neglected from an impulse-momentum
analysis during this time period
• However, if the impulse-momentum analysis is considered during the much
longer time of flight after the ball-bat interaction, then the impulse of the ball’s
weight is important since it, along with air resistance, causes the change in the
momentum of the ball
 CONSERVATION OF LINEAR MOMENTUM FOR A
SYSTEM OF PARTICLES

Examples:
15.4, 15.5, 15.6, 15.7, 15.8
Fundamental Problems:
F15.7, F15.9, F15.11
Practice Problems:
15.35, 15.39, 15.47, 15.53
EXAMPLE 15-4
The 15Mg boxcar A is coasting a t 1.5 m/s on the horizontal track when it
encounters a 12 Mg tank car B coasting at 0.75 m/s toward it as shown. If the
cars meet and couple together, determine (a) the speed of both the cars just
after the coupling, and (b) the average force between them if the coupling
takes place in 0.8s.
EXAMPLE 15-7
An 800 kg rigid pile P is driven into the ground using a 300 kg hammer. The
hammer falls from rest at a height y0=0.5m and strikes the top of the pile.
Determine the impulse which the hammer imparts on the pile if the pile is
surrounded entirely by loose sand so that after striking, the hammer does
not rebound off the pile.
EXAMPLE 15-8

The 1.5-Mg car moves on the 10-Mg barge to the

left with a constant speed of 4 m/s, measured
relative to the barge. Neglecting water resistance,
determine the velocity of the barge and the
displacement of the barge when the car reaches
point B. Initially, the car and the barge are at rest
relative to the water.
PROBLEM 15-35
The two blocks A and B each have a mass of 5 kg and are suspended from
parallel cords. A spring, having a stiffness of k = 60 N/m, is attached to B and is
compressed 0.3 m against A as shown. Determine the maximum angles (θ and
Ф) of the cords when the blocks are released from rest and the spring becomes
unstretched.
PROBLEM 15-39

Two cars A and B

have a mass of 2 Mg
and 1.5 Mg,
respectively.
Determine the
magnitudes of vA and
vB if the cars collide
and stick together
while moving with a
common speed of 50
km/h in the direction
shown.
PROBLEM 15-53

The 20-lb cart B is supported on rollers of

negligible size. If a 10-lb suitcase A is thrown
horizontally onto the cart at 10 ft/s when it is at
rest, determine the length of time that A slides
relative to B, and the final velocity of A and B. The
coefficient of kinetic friction between A and B is µk
= 0.4
 IMPACT

• Impact occurs when two bodies collide with each other during a very short
interval of time, causing relatively large impulsive forces to be exerted
between the bodies

• The striking of hammer and nail, or a golf club and ball are common examples
of impact loading

• There are two types of impact, central impact and oblique impact
 IMPACT

• Central impact occurs when the direction of motion of the mass centers of the
two colliding particles is along a line passing through the mass centers of the
particles. This line is called the line of impact
• When the motion of one or both the particles is at an angle with the line of
impact, the impact is said to be oblique impact.
 CENTRAL IMPACT

• Consider the case involving central impact

of two smooth particles A and B

• The particles have the initial momenta

shown in figure. Provided (vA)1 >(vB)1,
collision will eventually occur

• During the collision the material of the

particles must be thought of as deformable
or non-rigid. The particles will undergo a
period of deformation such that they exert
an equal and opposite deformation impulse
ʃP.dt on each other
 CENTRAL IMPACT

• Only at the instant of maximum

deformation will both particles move with a
common velocity v

• After a period of restitution occurs, in

which case the material from which the
particles are made will either return to its
original shape or remained permanently
deformed. The equal but opposite
restitution impulse ʃR.dt pushes the
particles apart from one another.

• Just after separation the particles will have

the final moment as shown,
where (vB)2 > (vA)2
 CENTRAL IMPACT

• In most problems the initial velocities of the particles will be known and it
will be necessary to determine their final velocities.
• In this regard, momentum for the system of particles is conserved since
during collision the internal impulses of deformation and restitution cancel.
Hence:
mA (vA)1 + mB (vB)1 = mA (vA)2 + mB (vB)2

• In order to obtain a second equation, necessary to solve for (vA)2 and (vB)2
we must apply the principle of impulse and momentum to each particle.

• For example, during the deformation phase for particle A, we have:

mA (vA)1 - ʃP. dt = mA v

• For the restitution phase,

mA v - ʃR. dt = mA (vA)2
 CENTRAL IMPACT

• The ratio of the restitution impulse to the deformation impulse is called the
coefficient of restitution, e. From the above equations, this value for
particle A is:
e
 R.dt v  (v A ) 2

 P.dt (v A )1  v
• In a similar manner, e can be established by considering particle B, i.e.

e
 R.dt (v )  v
 B 2

 P.dt v  (v ) B 1

• If the unknown v is eliminated from the above two equations, the

coefficient of restitution can be expressed in terms of the particles’ initial
and final velocities as:
(v B ) 2  (v A ) 2
e
(v A )1  (v B )1
 CENTRAL IMPACT
(v B ) 2  (v A ) 2
e
(v A )1  (v B )1
• So, from the above equation, the coefficient of restitution is equal to the
ratio of the relative velocity of the particles’ separation just after impact, to
the relative velocity of the particles’ approach just before impact. In
general, e has a value between zero and one.

• Elastic Impact (e=1): If the collision between the two particles is perfectly
elastic, the deformation impulse (ʃP.dt) is equal and opposite to the
restitution impulse (ʃR.dt) and therefore e=1 for elastic collisions.

• Plastic Impact (e=0): The impact is said to be inelastic or plastic when

e=0. In this case there is no restitution impulse given to the particles
(ʃR.dt=0) , so that after collision both particles couple or stick together and
move with a common velocity.
 CENTRAL IMPACT
Procedure For Analysis (Central Impact):
• In most cases final velocities of two smooth particles are to be determined
just after they are subjected to direct central impact.
• Provided the coefficient of restitution, the mass of each particle, and each
particles’ initial velocity just before impact are known, the solution to the
problem can be obtained using the following two equations:
1. The conservation of momentum applies to the system of particles,
∑mv1 = ∑mv2
2. The coefficient of restitution e relates the relative velocities of the
particles along the line of impact, just before and just after the
collision. i.e.
(v B ) 2  (v A ) 2
e
(v A )1  (v B )1
3. When applying these two equations, the sense of an unknown velocity
can be assumed. If the solution yields a negative magnitude, the
velocity acts in the opposite sense
 OBLIQUE IMPACT
• When oblique impact occurs between two smooth particles, the particles
move away from each other with velocities having unknown directions as
well as unknown magnitudes.

• Provided the initial velocities are known, four unknown are present in the
problem. They are: (vA)2, (vB)2, θ2, and Φ2
 OBLIQUE IMPACT
Procedure For Analysis (Oblique Impact):
• If the y-axis is established within the plane of contact and the x-axis along the line
of impact, the impulsive forces of deformation and restitution act only in the x-
direction. Resolving the velocity or momentum vectors into components along the x
and y axes, it is possible to write four independent scalar equations in order to
determine (vAx)2, (vAy)2, (vBx)2 and (vBy)2
1. Momentum of the system is conserved along the line of impact, x-axis, so that
∑m(vx)1 = ∑m(vx)2
2. The coefficient of restitution, relates the relative velocity components of the
particles along the line of impact
(v Bx ) 2  (v Ax ) 2
e
(v Ax )1  (v Bx )1
3. Momentum of particle A is conserved along the y-axis, perpendicular to the
line of impact, since no impulse acts on particle A in this direction
4. Momentum of particle B is conserved along the y-axis, perpendicular to the
line of impact, since no impulse acts on particle B in this direction
 IMPACT

Examples:
15.9, 15.10, 15.11
Fundamental Problems
F15.13, F15.14, F15.16
Practice Problems:
15.59, 15.65, 15.72, 15.76, 15.79,
15.83, 15.89
EXAMPLE 15-9
The bag A, having a weight of 6 lb, is released from rest at the position θ=0º,
as shown in the figure. After falling to θ=90º, it strikes an 18 lb box B. If
the coefficient of restitution between the bag and the box is e=0.5,
determine the velocities of the bag and the box just after the impact
and the loss of energy during the collision.
EXAMPLE 15-11
Two smooth disks A and B, having a mass of 1 kg and 2 kg respectively,
collide with the velocities shown in the figure. If the coefficient of restitution
for the disks is e=0.75, determine the x and y components of the final velocity
of each disk just after the collision.
PROBLEM 15-59
The 2 kg ball is thrown at the suspended 20 kg block with a velocity of 4 m/s.
if the coefficient of restitution between the ball and the block is e=0.8,
determine the maximum height ‘h’ to which the block will swing before it
momentarily stops.
PROBLEM 15-79
The 2 kg ball is thrown so that it is travelling horizontally at 10 m/s when it
strikes the 6 kg block as it is travelling down the inclined plane at1 m/s. If the
coefficient of restitution between the ball and the block is e=0.6, determine
the speeds of the ball and the block just after the impact. Also, what distance
does B slide up the plane before it stops? The coefficient of kinetic friction
between the block and the plane is 0.4
PROBLEM 15-76
The girl throws the 0.5-kg ball toward the wall with an initial velocity 10 m/s.
Determine (a) the velocity at which it strikes the wall at B, (b) the velocity at
which it rebounds from the wall if the coefficient of restitution e = 0.5, and (c)
the distance s from the wall to where it strikes the ground at C.
 ANGULAR MOMENTUM
• The angular momentum of a particle about point 0
is defined as the "moment" of the particle's linear
momentum about O.
• Since this concept is analogous to finding the
moment of a force about a point, the angular
momentum, Ho, is sometimes referred to as the
moment of momentum
• Scalar Formulation:

• Vector Formulation: