Conservation of Energy & Momentum
in Collisions
SANTOSH KUMAR
Assistant Professor(Physics)
Govt. P.G. College, Jalore (Raj.)
Given some information, using
conservation laws, we can
determine a LOT about collisions
without knowing the collision forces!
To analyze ALL collisions:
Rule #1
Momentum is ALWAYS (!!!)
conserved in a collision!
mAvA + mBvB = mA(vA) + mB(vB)
HOLDS for ALL collisions!
Note!!
Ideal Very Special Case: 2 very hard objects
(like billiard balls) collide. An “Elastic Collision”
To analyze Elastic Collisions:
Rule # 1 Still holds!
mAvA + mBvB = mAvA + mBvB
Rule # 2 : For Elastic Collisions ONLY (!!)
Total Kinetic Energy (KE) is conserved!!
(KE)before = (KE)after
(½)mA(vA)2 + (½) mB(vB)2 = (½)mA(vA)2 +
(½)mB(vB)2
Total Kinetic energy (KE) is conserved for
ELASTIC COLLISIONS ONLY!!
Inelastic Collisions
Inelastic Collisions Collisions which
Do NOT Conserve Kinetic Energy!
Some initial kinetic energy is lost to thermal or
potential energy. Kinetic energy may also be gained in
explosions (there is addition of chemical or nuclear energy).
A Completely Inelastic Collision is one in
which the objects stick together afterward, so
there is only one final velocity.
Inelastic Collisions
Collisions which are AREN’T elastic.
Is KE conserved for Inelastic Collisions?
NO!!!!!!
Is momentum conserved for Inelastic Collisions?
YES!!
(By Rule # 1: Momentum is ALWAYS conserved in a
collision!)
Special Case: Completely Inelastic Collisions
Inelastic collisions in which the 2 objects collide & stick
together.
KE IS NOT CONSERVED FOR THESE!!
Railroad cars again
Same rail cars as Car A, mass mA = 10,000 kg, traveling at speed vA = 24
m/s strikes car B (same mass), initially at rest (vB = 0). Cars lock together after
collision. Show that the collision is inelastic..
Before
Collision
After
Collision
Solution:
Cars lock together after collision. Find amount of initial KE transformed to thermal or
other energy forms:
Initially: KEi = (½)mA(vA)2 = 2.88 106 J
Finally: KEf = (½)(mA+ mB)(v)2 = 1.44 106 J ! (50% loss!)
SUMMARY: COLLISIONS
Basic Physical Principles:
Conservation of Momentum: Rule #
1: Momentum is ALWAYS conserved
in a collision!
Conservation of Kinetic Energy:
Rule # 2: KE is conserved for elastic
collisions ONLY !!
KE is NOT Conserved for In-
Elastic Collision!!
Collisions in Two or Three Dimensions
Conservation of energy & momentum can also be used to
analyze collisions in two or three dimensions, but unless the
situation is very simple, the math quickly becomes unwieldy.
Here, a moving object
collides with an object
initially at rest.
Knowing the masses
and initial velocities is
not enough; we need to
know the angles as well
in order to find the final
velocities.
Elastic Collisions in 2D
qualitative here, quantitative in the text
Physical Principles: The same as in 1D
1. Conservation of VECTOR momentum:
PAx + PBx = PAx + PBx
PAy + PBy = PAy + PBy
2. Conservation of KE
(½)mA(vA)2 + (½)mB(vB)2 = (½)mA(vA)2 + (½)mB(vB)2
