Free AP Physics C lesson

2D Collisions & Ballistic Pendulum

This AP Physics C: Mechanics lesson is designed for AP Physics C self-study. It includes 2 video lessons, 4 practice questions, and an estimated completion time of 18 minutes.

Video lessons

  1. Collisions in 2 Dimensions

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  2. Ballistic Pendulum Problems

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Practice covered

  1. In a two-dimensional collision, when can momentum be conserved separately in the x and y directions?
  2. A 2 kg object moving at 3 m/s in the positive x-direction collides and sticks with a 1 kg object moving at 2 m/s in the positive y-direction. What is the x-component of the final velocity (in m/s)?
  3. Why can't you solve a ballistic pendulum problem using energy conservation alone from the bullet's initial state to the pendulum's maximum height?
  4. A 0.02 kg bullet embeds into a 1.98 kg block hanging from a string. After collision, the combined mass swings up to a height of 0.8 m. Calculate the speed of the bullet just before impact (in m/s). Use g = 10 m/s^2.
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