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11th grade Conservation of momentum in collisions worksheet

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Conservation of momentum in collisions

Grade 11 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

  1. East is positive. Two carts at rest are pushed apart by a spring. The 2 kg cart moves at 3 m/s. What is the 4 kg cart's velocity, Ari?

  2. East is positive. Two carts at rest are pushed apart by a spring. The 1 kg cart moves at 6 m/s. What is the 3 kg cart's velocity, Bo?

  3. Read this first

    Cart collision trials (example data)

    trialtotal momentum before (kg·m/s)total momentum after (kg·m/s)track
    166smooth
    244smooth
    364.5rough rug

  4. In the collision trials table, which trial did not conserve momentum, Jun?

    • Trial 3
    • Trial 1
    • Each of the three did
    • Trial 2

  5. In the collision trials table, why did trial 3 lose momentum, Kira?

    • Rug friction was an outside force
    • The carts stuck together
    • Momentum isn't conserved in collisions
    • The carts' pushes on each other used it up

  6. Milo says momentum is lost when two carts stick together. Agree or disagree?

    • Disagree: the total momentum stays the same
    • Agree: directions don't count
    • Agree: sticking destroys momentum
    • Agree: each cart keeps its speed instead

  7. Noah says the total speed of two colliding carts stays the same. Agree or disagree?

    • Agree: west speeds count as positive
    • Disagree: total momentum stays the same
    • Agree: sticking is the one exception
    • Agree: speeds are what is conserved

  8. Pia says a 2 kg cart at 3 m/s east and a 3 kg cart at 2 m/s west have a total momentum of 0. Agree or disagree?

    • Disagree: the total is 12
    • Disagree: sticking would change it
    • Disagree: the faster cart wins
    • Agree: 6 + (−6) = 0

  9. A 3 kg cart at 4 m/s hits a 1.5 kg cart at rest. The 3 kg cart slows to 1 m/s. What is the 1.5 kg cart's speed after, Ren?

    • 4 m/s
    • 2 m/s
    • 6 m/s
    • 8 m/s

  10. A 2 kg cart at 5 m/s hits a 3 kg cart at rest and they stick. How fast do they move together, Tala?

    • 5 m/s
    • 2.5 m/s
    • 2 m/s
    • 3.3 m/s

  11. From rest, a spring pushes a 1 kg cart east at 2 m/s and a 4 kg cart the other way. What is the 4 kg cart's velocity, Zee?

    • −2 m/s
    • +0.5 m/s
    • −8 m/s
    • −0.5 m/s
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11th grade Conservation of momentum in collisions worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Conservation of momentum in collisions. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can add momenta with signs (east positive) and use "total before = total after" for carts on a smooth track.
  • I can solve sticking collisions (v = total momentum ÷ total mass) and push-apart releases from rest (equal and opposite momenta).
  • I can explain when momentum is conserved: the system includes both carts, and no outside net force acts, such as friction from a rough rug.

Standard: HS-PS2-2

Words to know

system: The objects chosen for study, here both carts

conserved: Staying the same total before and after

internal force: A force between objects inside the system

outside force: A force from something outside the system, like rug friction

recoil: Moving backward when something is pushed away from you

Common mistakes

Your child dropped a minus sign. Momentum has a direction: a cart moving west has negative momentum.

Your child averaged the two velocities. Sticking carts share the total momentum, so divide it by the total mass.

Your child thought the speeds are what stay the same. It is the total momentum, m × v added with signs, that is conserved.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with conservation of momentum in collisions?

Your child dropped a minus sign. Momentum has a direction: a cart moving west has negative momentum.

Are these 11th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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