SCIENCE WORKBOOK

GRADE LEVEL
9 QUARTER / DOMAIN WEEK NO. LC CODE
S9FE-IVb-36
Fourth/Physics 3
LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET
Module 3

Learning Competency with Code

Relate impulse and momentum to collision of objects (e.g, vehicular collision)
(S9FE-IVb-36)

Impulse and Momentum

You learned that acceleration occurs when there is a net force on an object.
Remember that an acceleration produces a change in velocity which is a change in speed
and/or direction. Newton’s second law tells us that the greater the force exerted on an
object, the larger the acceleration of that object. This law also states that when the same
force is applied, the object with greater mass will experience a smaller acceleration.

Momentum

Consider a 1 000 kg car moving eastward at a speed of 20 m/s and a 3 000 kg truck
that is stationary. Which do you think has momentum, the car or the truck? The car has
momentum because it has velocity. Since the truck is at rest, it does not have momentum.

http://www.hk-phy.org/contextual/mechanics/mom/impul04_e.html
Fig. 1. A car in motion and a truck at rest

Momentum is also known as inertia in motion. For objects moving at the same
velocity, a more massive object has a greater inertia in motion. Therefore, it has greater
momentum.

Momentum depends on two factors, mass and velocity. Operationally, it is the

product of the mass of an object and its velocity. In equation,

p = mv
where:
p = momentum in kg-m/s
m = mass in kg
v = velocity in m/s

Momentum is a vector quantity. It has both magnitude and direction. What is the
momentum of the car given above? Its momentum is 20 000 kg-m/s east.

Let us consider the following situations in our study of momentum.

 Situation 1
Car A and car B have the same mass bu
move with different velocities. Car A moves faste
car B.
Car A is more difficult to stop. The momentum of
is greater than that of car B since it has g
velocity.

Situation 2
Consider a car and a truck moving with
same velocity but having different masses. The
possesses greater momentum because it is he
than the car.

Let us practice computing for momentum, mass and velocity of the object. Refer to the table
below for the equations to be used.

Equation to be used If you are looking for… If you know…

p = mv momentum mass and velocity
m=p mass momentum and velocity
v Situation 3
v=p velocity Two momentum
cars, havingand
equal
massmass, move with the s
m speed. The first car moves eastward while
second car moves westward. Do they have
Sample Problems same momentum? The two cars do not posses
same momentum because their velocities
different since they move in opposite direction.
1. What is the momentum of a 1 200 kg car moving eastward with a speed of 30
m/s?
Given: Unknown:
v = 30 m/s p
m = 1 200 kg
Solution:
p = mv
 p = (1 200 kg)(30 m/s)
p = 36 000 kg-m/s east

2. A dart has a momentum of 0.140 kg-m/s and a velocity of 4 m/s. What is the
mass of the dart?
Given: Unknown:
p = 0.140 kg-m/s m
v = 4 m/s
Solution:
m=p
v

m = 0.140 kg-m/s
4 m/s
m = 0.035 kg

Activity 1
Given the following data, solve for the momentum using the formula p = mv. Copy the table
on your answer sheet.
Body Mass (kg) Velocity (m/s) Momentum (kg-m/s)
bird 0.03 18
basketball player 80 5
bullet 0.004 600
baseball 0.14 30
frog 0.9 12

Activity 2
Answer the following problems. Show the complete solutions on your answer sheet.
1. A skateboard is rolling at a velocity of 3 m/s with a momentum of 6 kg-m/s. What is
its mass?
2. A pitcher throws a baseball with a mass of 0.5 kg and a momentum of 10 kg-m/s.
What is its velocity?

Impulse

If the velocity of an object changes, the object undergoes acceleration. What

produces acceleration? The answer is unbalanced force. An unbalanced force causes an
object to accelerate. The greater the unbalanced force acting on the object, the greater the
change in velocity and the greater the change in momentum of the object.

An external (unbalanced) force acting on an object over a specific time leads to a

change in momentum of the object. Impulse is the name given to the product of the net
force and the time interval during which it acts. In equation,

I = Ft
where:
F = net force in N
t = time in s
I = impulse in Ns

Impulse is a vector quantity. Its direction is the same as the direction of the net
(unbalanced) force.
 Do you still remember how Newton’s second law of motion is mathematically
written? It is written as

F = ma
Since a = v – vo , then
t
F = m v – vo
t
If you rearrange the equation, it will become
Ft = m(v – vo)
Since p = mv, then
Ft = p - po
or
Ft = Δp

From the equation, we can see that impulse, which is the product of force and time,
is equal to the change in momentum.

I = Δp

Relationship of Impact Force and Time of Impact

Let us have this equation again.

F = m v – vo
t

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/momentum/Lesson-1/Real- World-Applications
Fig. 5. Relationship of impact force and impact time

The equation gives us the relationship between impact force F and time of impact t. It
tells us that for a fixed value of the change in momentum, the impact force is smaller when
the impact time is bigger while the impact force is bigger when the impact time is smaller.

Let us have this situation to illustrate the said relationship. A moving car suddenly
loses its breaks and crashes against a haystack. Another car, whose mass and velocity are
the same as the first car, hits a concrete wall. Take note that the initial velocities of the two
cars are the same. We refer to the initial velocity as the velocity of the car before hitting the
haystack or the wall and before coming to a stop. Thus, their initial momenta are the same.
When each of the cars hits the haystack or the wall, its momentum is brought to zero
because its final velocity is equal to zero. We can conclude that the change in momentum is
the same in both cars. Therefore, the impulse is also the same.

When the car hits the haystack, the time of impact is extended during which the
momentum of the car is brought to zero. The longer time reduces the impact force. On the
other hand, the time of impact is small in the second situation (car hitting a concrete wall)
which causes the impact force to be large. This means that when the change in momentum
occurs over a short period of time, the impact force is large. The collision of the second car
with the concrete wall is really damaging as compared to the collision of the first car with the
haystack.

https://slideplayer.com/slide/9066672/
Fig. 6. A car hitting a haystack and an identical car hitting a concrete wall
 The following situations show applications of impulse.

1. A quick jab by a boxer makes a hard hit.

2. Air bags used in cars minimize the effect of the impact force during collision by
extending the time required to stop the momentum of the driver and passenger.
3. When a boxer recognizes that he will be hit in the head by his opponent, the boxer
often relaxes his neck and allows his head to move backwards upon impact. A
boxer rides the punch in order to extend the time of impact of the glove with his head
which results in the decrease of the impact force.
4. A net, a cushion and corrugated container all decrease the impact force.
5. The safety net used by acrobats provides small impact force over a long time.
6. When a tennis player hits the ball, a follow-through keeps the tennis racket in contact
with the ball for a longer time, and so the ball experiences a greater change in
momentum for the same force applied.

Let us try this!

Tiger Woods hits a 0.02 kg golf ball, giving it a speed of 25 m/s. What impulse does he
impart to the ball?

Given: Unknown:
vo = 0 m/s I
v = 25 m/s
m = 0.02 kg
Solution:
I = Δp
I = m(v – vo)
I = (0.02 kg)(25 m/s – 0 m/s)
I = (0.02 kg)(25 m/s)
I = 0.50 kg-m/s or 0.50 Ns

Activity 3
Name some other applications of impulse in our everyday lives. Write your answers on your
answer sheet.

Assessment
Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answers on your answer
sheet.
1. Which of the following bodies has the greatest momentum?
a. a car moving along the highway c. a man walking
b. an 18-wheeler tractor trailer at rest d. a ball thrown by a boy
2. The impulse experienced by a body is equal to
a. change in velocity of the object c. change in mass of the object
b. change in momentum of the object d. the force applied on the object
3. Why does a truck have more momentum than a car moving at the same speed?
a. The truck has greater mass.
b. The truck has greater velocity.
c. The truck has greater change in momentum.
d. The truck has a large wheelbase.
4. Momentum depends on
a. mass and volume of the object c. volume and density of the object
b. mass and density of the object d. mass and velocity of the object
5. Object A is heavier than object B. The two objects have the same momentum. Which
of the two objects has the greater velocity?
 a. object A
b. object B
c. Object A and B have the same velocity.
d. The information is not enough to identify which object has the greater velocity.
6. What happens to the impact force when impact time increases?
a. The impact time also increases. c. The impact time remains the same.
b. The impact time decreases. d. The impact time becomes zero.

7. What is the unit of impulse?

a. N/kg b. m/s c. Nm d. Ns
8. Impulse is a vector quantity because
a. it has magnitude only c. it has both magnitude and direction
b. it has direction only d. it has a number and a unit
9. A car moves to the right with a speed of 25 m/s A car with the same mass moves to
the left with the same speed. Do the two cars have the same momentum and why?
a. Yes, because they have the same velocity.
b. No, because even if they have the same speed, they move in opposite direction
c. Yes, because they have the same mass
d. No, because they do not have the same speed
10. In certain martial arts, people practice breaking a piece of wood with the side of their
bare hand. Why can this be done without injury to the hand?
a. Given the same change in momentum, when the time interval is smaller, the
impact force is bigger.
b. Given the same change in momentum, when the time interval is bigger, the
impact force is bigger.
c. Given the same change in momentum, when the time interval is smaller, the
impact force is smaller.
d. Given the same change in momentum, when the time interval is bigger, the
impact force is smaller.

Reflection:
1. I learned that ____________________________________________________________
2. I enjoyed most on _________________________________________________________
3. I want to learn more on ____________________________________________________

References:
Alvarez, Liza A., Dave G. Angeles, Hernan L. Apurada, Ma. Pilar P. Carmona, Oliver A.
Lahorra, Judith F. Marcaida, Ma. Ragaele A. Olarte, et al. 2014. Science 9: Learner’s
Material. DepEd-IMCS: Pasig City.

Hewitt, Paul G. 1987. Conceptual Physics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc.:

California.

The Physics Classroom. n.d. “Real-World Applications.” Accessed April 20, 2021.
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/momentum/Lesson-1/Real-World-
Applications.

Practice personal hygiene protocols at all times.

Prepared by:

ARNOLD B. BULAONG