1. Momentum is always conserved when collisions occur. Momentum is defined as being a quantity of motion, and it is a product of mass and velocity. A small object travelling with a high velocity has great momentum ( Ex. A bullet ), and a massive object travelling with a low velocity has great momentum (Continue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Conservation of Energy, Linear Momentum, and Angular Momentum During a Collision”
Tag Archives: center of mass
EQUILIBRIUM STATICS: Stationary and Moving Center of Mass Derivation
In physics, concepts like force, energy, and motion go hand-in-hand with one another. An unbalanced force will cause an object to accelerate. Equal and opposite force pairs will cause an object to remain at rest or maintain a constant velocity if it is already in motion. When an applied force causes an object or systemContinue reading “EQUILIBRIUM STATICS: Stationary and Moving Center of Mass Derivation”
ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Translational and Rotational Kinetic Energy
When determining the final kinetic energy ( KE ) of falling objects, we need not ( in theory ) concern ourselves with anything other than the linear pathway traveled to the earth’s surface. To the contrary, an object that rolls top to bottom down an incline will gain both linear ( KE ) and rotationalContinue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Translational and Rotational Kinetic Energy”
ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Conservation of Linear and Angular Momentum ( Part 1 )
Q: A ( 1kg ) ball of clay moving with a velocity ( vbi ) collides and sticks to the end of a ( 120cm ) rod of uniform mass ( 2kg ). Assuming that the ball and rod are at rest upon a frictionless surface: ( a ) Where is the new center ofContinue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Conservation of Linear and Angular Momentum ( Part 1 )”
ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Elastic Collisions and the Center of Mass Velocity ( Part 3 )
Q: Consider a system in which a mass ( m1 = 6kg ) moves in the +x-direction at ( 2 m/s ) as a mass ( m2 = 2kg ) moves in the -x-direction at ( – 4 m/s ): How may we use the center of mass ( c.o.m. ) of this system toContinue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Elastic Collisions and the Center of Mass Velocity ( Part 3 )”
ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Elastic Collisions and the Center of Mass Velocity ( Part 2 )
In Part 1 of this entry, it was determined that the center of mass between objects moving with constant velocities is also constant ( vcm ): We will now use mass ( kg ) and instantaneous-distance coordinates along ( x ) to determine the system’s center of mass. Let’s begin using the x-coordinates of (Continue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Elastic Collisions and the Center of Mass Velocity ( Part 2 )”
ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Elastic Collisions and the Center of Mass Velocity ( Part 1 )
A system’s center of mass is the location where the average mass distribution of the system is located. Consider a system in which two equal masses rest at the ends of a balance: The sum of torques acting upon the system is zero, and it will remain in static equilibrium until acted upon by anContinue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Elastic Collisions and the Center of Mass Velocity ( Part 1 ) “
ELECTROSTATICS: An Equilateral Triangle’s Center of Mass ( Part 2 )
In a prior example, a visually engaging technique was used to locate the center of mass within an equilateral triangle: A more mathematically detailed approach will now be used to determine the center of mass location. The diagram above must be expanded in such a manner that trigonometry can be applied to our efforts: TheContinue reading “ELECTROSTATICS: An Equilateral Triangle’s Center of Mass ( Part 2 )“
ELECTROSTATICS: An Equilateral Triangle’s Center of Mass ( Part 1 )
The center of mass of a system is the location where the average mass of a system can be assumed to exist. If two equally massive children sit at opposite ends of a seesaw, their average mass will be located at the midpoint between them. When dealing with other systems of masses, determining the centerContinue reading “ELECTROSTATICS: An Equilateral Triangle’s Center of Mass ( Part 1 )”
ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Parallel Axis Theorem/Moment of Inertia of a Rod
The moment of inertia ( I ) is the rotational equivalent of mass possessed by an object. This proclamation, however, comes with a caveat: massive objects are not created equal. Different objects of equal mass have differing abilities to resist changes in rotational motion. Additionally, the location of an object’s axis of rotation influences itsContinue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Parallel Axis Theorem/Moment of Inertia of a Rod”
RENAISSANCE PHYSICS 