Why Does Momentum Affect the Calculation of Final Velocity in Physics Problems?

  • Thread starter myxomatosii
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In summary, the conversation is about solving a physics problem involving a ball being dropped and rebounding. The conversation includes a discussion about the formula for velocity and the use of impulse in solving the problem. The person asking the question uses a method from a link and is initially confused about the solution. However, they eventually solve the problem and declare the conversation closed.
  • #1
myxomatosii
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Homework Statement



Let me start by saying my ONLY question is. Why can I not use..

vf=(2aΔs).5

Why do I have to use

vf=(2mgH).5

to get the vf? Why have things changed now that I am dealing with momentum problems, isn't vf just vf?

With the mgH formula my velocity is much lower. This doesn't make sense and its bothering me that I am missing something so fundamental.


But I'll post the problem anyway.

A 160 g ball is dropped from a height of 2.8 m, bounces on a hard floor, and rebounds to a height of 2.1 m. Figure P9.28 shows the impulse received from the floor. What maximum force does the floor exert on the ball?

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/8416/p928.gif


Homework Equations



vf=(2aΔs).5 (I thought but I guess not)

vf=(2mgH).5

Jx=Δpx=FmaxΔt


The Attempt at a Solution



I am solving it using the method written in the link below.

Which brought me to the question listed above.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081026102629AAdYIDa


"""""

You start by defining what "impulse" is.

In math talk, it's dP = F dt; where dP = p1 - p0 = m(v1 - v0), the change in momentum, F is the average force over the time interval dt = t1 - t0 in which the momentum changed. F = ? is the force you are looking for.

Solve for F = m(v1 - v0)/dt; where m = .15 kg, dt = .005 sec, you need to find v0, the velocity at impact and v1 the velocity at rebound.

To find v0, use the conservation of energy so that v0^2 = 2mgH; where H = 1.7 m. Then v0 = sqrt(2mgH) = sqrt(2*.15*9.81*1.7) = 2.236761051 mps. Here the potential energy mgH is converted to kinetic energy.

To find v1, use the same conservation of energy so that v1 = sqrt(2*.15*9.81*1) = 1.715517415 mps, where the height h = 1.0 m on rebound. Here the kinetic energy of the rebound is converted to potential energy PE = mgh at height h.

Recognize that the directions of the two velocities are directly opposite; so they are additive, in other words v1 - (-v0) = v1 + v0 = 3.952278466

Solve for F = dP/dt = m(v1 + v0)/dt = .15*3.95/.005 = 118.5 kg.m/sec^2.


"""""
 
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  • #2
The answer from the method I used from Yahoo came out wrong.

Completely lost.. as I am as of late.

176.928N no cigar.
 
  • #3
I solved it, idk what the guy on the yahoo answers was smoking...

Although his idea on the velocities being additive did help me realize something about the momentum.

Consider this thread, closed.
 

FAQ: Why Does Momentum Affect the Calculation of Final Velocity in Physics Problems?

What is an impulse/force/bounce problem?

An impulse/force/bounce problem is a physics problem that involves calculating the change in momentum (impulse), the application of force, and the resulting bounce or collision of objects.

What is the law of conservation of momentum?

The law of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant, unless acted upon by an external force. This means that in a collision or bounce between two objects, the total momentum before and after the event will be the same.

How do you calculate impulse?

Impulse can be calculated by multiplying the force applied to an object by the time interval over which the force is applied. The formula for impulse is J = F * Δt, where J is impulse, F is force, and Δt is the time interval.

What is the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions?

In an elastic collision, the total kinetic energy is conserved, meaning that the objects bounce off each other with no loss of energy. In an inelastic collision, some of the kinetic energy is lost, usually in the form of heat or sound, and the objects may stick together after the collision.

How do you calculate the coefficient of restitution?

The coefficient of restitution is a measure of the elasticity of a collision. It can be calculated by dividing the velocity of separation (the velocity of the objects after the collision) by the velocity of approach (the velocity of the objects before the collision). The formula for coefficient of restitution is e = (Vf - Vr) / (Vi - Vr), where e is the coefficient of restitution, Vf is the velocity of separation, Vi is the velocity of approach, and Vr is the velocity of the object that remains after the collision.

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