Question 1: Define momentum and explain its significance in sports science.

Answer: Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity (p = mv). In sports science, it helps to understand how the motion of athletes and equipment affects performance and safety.

Question 2: Describe how the conservation of momentum applies when two athletes collide during a rugby tackle.

Answer: The total momentum before the collision equals the total momentum after, assuming no external forces act, meaning momentum is conserved during the collision.

Question 1: A sprinter with a mass of 70 kg reaches a velocity of 10 m/s. Calculate her momentum.

Answer: 700 kg·m/s

Question 2: A football with a mass of 0.45 kg is kicked at a velocity of 30 m/s. What is its momentum?

Answer: 13.5 kg·m/s

Question 1: Identify the key variables that influence the momentum of a cyclist during a sprint and explain how these should be considered when designing safety gear.

Answer: Variables include the cyclist's mass, velocity, and the mass and design of safety gear. Safety gear should be designed to absorb or reduce impact forces, thus reducing momentum transfer during collisions.

Question 2: Outline the safety precautions that should be taken when testing high-momentum sports equipment such as hockey pucks or baseballs.

Answer: Testing should be conducted in controlled environments with protective barriers, appropriate personal protective equipment, and adherence to safety protocols to prevent injury from high-velocity projectiles.

Question 1: During a race, a cyclist of mass 75 kg accelerates from 5 m/s to 12 m/s over 10 seconds. Describe how the cyclist’s momentum changes during this period and explain the implications for braking and safety.

Answer: The cyclist’s momentum increases from 375 kg·m/s to 900 kg·m/s, indicating a significant increase in motion. This highlights the importance of considering momentum when designing braking systems to ensure safe deceleration.

Question 2: A rugby player of mass 85 kg collides with a stationary opponent of mass 90 kg. If the player’s velocity before impact is 8 m/s, what is the velocity of the combined players immediately after the collision, assuming momentum is conserved?

Answer: The combined velocity is approximately 3.83 m/s.

Question 1: Explain how understanding momentum can influence the design of safety features in crash barriers used in motorsport racing.

Answer: Understanding momentum helps in designing crash barriers that can absorb and dissipate the energy during collisions, reducing the risk of injury by controlling the change in momentum and ensuring forces are spread over a longer time and area.

Question 2: A tennis ball of mass 0.057 kg is hit with a velocity of 40 m/s. If the ball hits the racket and changes direction with a velocity of 10 m/s in the opposite direction, what is the change in momentum?

Answer: The change in momentum is approximately 2.93 kg·m/s.