Impulse of a force - effect on linear and angular momentum

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between the impulse of a force during a collision and its effects on linear and angular momentum. Participants explore the principles of conservation of linear and angular momentum and seek clarification on how impulse relates to these concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Froskoy expresses confusion about how impulse relates to changes in linear and angular momentum during a collision, proposing two interpretations of the conservation principles.
  • One participant asserts that linear momentum and angular momentum cannot be directly added, suggesting a third interpretation involving torque and impulse.
  • Another participant references a physics text to explain that impulse is equal to the change in momentum and emphasizes that both impulse and linear momentum are vectors with the same units.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the interpretation of impulse in relation to linear and angular momentum, with differing views on how these concepts interact.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the definitions of impulse, linear momentum, and angular momentum may not be fully articulated, and the discussion does not resolve the mathematical relationships between these concepts.

Froskoy
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Hi,

I'm having trouble understanding what the relation is between the impulse of a force during a collision and the changes in linear and angular momentum during the collision.

I know that the principle of conservation of linear momentum says that the total linear momentum before is equal to the total linear momentum after and the principle of conservation of angular momentum states that the total angular momentum before is equal to the total angular momentum after, but am struggling with the interpretation of this.

Do these principles mean that

1) the sum of the impulse + linear momentum before + angular momentum before = linear momentum before + angular momentum after

OR

2) (the sum of impulse + linear momentum before = linear momentum after) AND ALSO (the sum of impulse + angular momentum before = angular momentum after)?

With very many thanks,

Froskoy.
 
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Hi Froskoy! :smile:

Linear momentum and angular momentum can't be added.

(for a start, linear momentum is a vector, but angular momentum is a pseudovector!)

it's 3) … (the sum of impulse + linear momentum before = linear momentum after) AND ALSO (the sum of torque (or moment) of impulse + angular momentum before = angular momentum after) :wink:
 
There is no substitute for a good Physics text. Following from Halliday - Resnick
p2 - p1 = integral 1>2 dp = integral 1>2 Force dt = Impulse

The integral of force over the time interval during which force acts is called the
impulse of the force and is equal to the change in momentum. Both the impulse
and linear momentum are vectors and have same units and dimensions.
And is area under force time curve.
integral t1>t2 Force dt
 
Thanks very much! It all makes a lot more sense now!
 

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