Equations for Calculating Momentum in Pole Vaulting Collisions

[StephenDoty]

Is the collison of the olympic sport polevolting elastic or inelastic? The pole collides with the Earth and stays at that point until the polevolter let's go. So wouldn't you use the momentum equations to see how much momentum the polevolter has once he let's go of the pole?

Which one of the following equations would I use to find the momentum of the polevolter once he has let go of his pole? mv1+mv2=mv1+mv2 or mv1+mv2=(m+m)v

Thank you.

Stephen

 

[tiny-tim]

So wouldn't you use the momentum equations to see how much momentum the polevolter has once he let's go of the pole?

Hi Stephen!

It's not a collison … it's exactly like swinging on a rope (but upside down ).

So you'd just use conservation of energy (including some "spring" energy for the bending of the pole).

 

[StephenDoty]

so you would have 1/2mv1^2 + 1/2kx^2 +mgh0= 1/2mv2^2 + 1/2kx^2 +mgh1?

 

[tiny-tim]

Yup! ​