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Momentum

Free AQA GCSE Physics practice questions on Momentum. Sample questions below with detailed mark schemes — sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.

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Calculate — 5 marks

A railway coupling system is being tested. An empty freight wagon of mass 8000 kg is moving at 3 m/s along a straight horizontal track. It collides and couples with a stationary loaded freight wagon of mass 12000 kg. The two wagons then move together after the collision.

  1. Calculate the momentum of the empty freight wagon before the collision. [1 mark]
  2. Using the principle of conservation of momentum, calculate the velocity of the two coupled wagons immediately after the collision. [3 marks]
  3. Calculate the loss in kinetic energy during the collision. (You may use: kinetic energy = ½mv²) [1 mark]
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State — 4 marks

A delivery driver is loading packages into a van. Package A (mass 5 kg) is moving at 2 m/s and collides with Package B (mass 3 kg) which is initially at rest on a frictionless conveyor belt.

  1. State what is meant by momentum. [1 mark]
  2. State the momentum of Package A before the collision. [1 mark]
  3. State the principle of conservation of momentum and explain why it applies to this collision between the two packages. [2 marks]
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Show — 2 marks

A skateboard rider of mass 60 kg is moving at a constant velocity of 5 m/s along a flat street. The rider then pushes off the ground, accelerating to 8 m/s in 2 seconds.

  1. Show that the momentum of the skateboard rider increases by 180 kg m/s during the acceleration. [2 marks]
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