12% of the Physics C Mechanics test is based on linear momentum and systems of particles including the following topics: Center of Mass; Impulse and Momentum; Conservation of Linear Momentum Collisions
Successful students will be able to:
- Understand the technique for finding center of mass so they can:
o Identify by inspection the center of mass of a symmetrical object (AP 1D1a1) (12.2)
o Locate the center of mass of a system consisting of two such objects (AP 1D1a2) (12.2)
o Use integration to find the center of mass of a thin rod of non-uniform density (AP 1D1a3) (12.2)
- Understand the relation between center-of-mass velocity and linear momentum, and between center-of-mass acceleration and net external force for a system of particles (AP 1D1b)
- Define center of gravity and use this concept to express the gravitational potential energy of a rigid object in terms of the position of its center of mass (AP 1D1c)
- Understand impulse and linear momentum so they can:
o Relate mass, velocity, and linear momentum for a moving object, and calculate the total linear momentum of a system of objects (AP 1D2a) (9.1, 9.2)
o Relate impulse to the change in linear momentum and the average force acting on an object (AP 1D2b) (9.1, 9.2)
o State and apply the relations between linear momentum and center-of-mass motion for a system of particles (AP 1D2c)
o Calculate the area under a force versus time graph and relate it to the change in momentum of an object (AP 1D2d) (9.1, 9.2)
o Calculate the change in momentum of an object given a function F(t) for the net force acting on the object (AP 1D2e) (9.1, 9.2)
- Understand linear momentum conservation, so they can:
o Explain how linear momentum conservation follows as a consequence of Newton’s Third Law for an isolated system (AP 1D3a1) (9.3)
o Identify situations in which linear momentum, or a component of the linear momentum vector, is conserved (AP 1D3a2) (9.3)
o Apply linear momentum conservation to one-dimensional elastic and inelastic collisions and two-dimensional completely inelastic collisions (AP 1D3a3) (9.4, 9.6, 10.7)
o Apply linear momentum conservation to two-dimensional elastic and inelastic collisions (AP 1D3a4) (9.6, 10.7*)
o Analyze situations in which two or more objects are pushed apart by a spring or other agency, and calculate how much energy is released in such a process (AP 1D3a5) (9.5, 10.5, 11.7)
- Understand frames of reference so they can:
o Analyze the uniform motion of an object relative to a moving medium such as a flowing stream (AP 1D3b1) (4.4, 10.7)
o Analyze the motion of particles relative to a frame of reference that is accelerating horizontally or vertically at a uniform rate (AP 1D3b2) (5.6)
Due Date Day Assignment
3/8 Tue Do: PSMech08 Chapter 12: 5, 6, 7, 49
3/9 Wed Do: PSMech09: Chapter 9: 4, 5, 13, 23, 42, 54, 55, 65, 72