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WorksheetYear 10Level 3 · Challenge

Free Year 10 Momentum, Collisions and Vehicle Safety Worksheet

Students calculate momentum with p = mv and apply the law of conservation of momentum to collisions and explosions, such as carts sticking together and skaters pushing apart. They use force = change in momentum ÷ time to show why increasing the stopping time reduces the force, and apply this to explain how crumple zones, airbags, seatbelts and helmets protect people in a crash.

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Year
Year 10
Subject
Science
Topic
Forces & Motion
Difficulty
Level 3 · Challenge
Estimated time
45 minutes
Curriculum
Australian Curriculum
Questions
15
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practise

  • calculating momentum
  • applying conservation of momentum to collisions and explosions
  • calculating force from change in momentum and time
  • explaining how safety features reduce force

Curriculum: Australian Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Momentum, Collisions and Vehicle Safety

  1. 1Conservation of Energy and Efficiency Calculations
  2. 2Electrical Power, Energy and the Cost of Electricity
  3. 3Specific Heat Capacity Calculations: Q = mcΔT

How to use this worksheet

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this worksheet for?

Year 10 students (typically ages 15–16) working on forces & motion. It is pitched at level 3 · challenge.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 45 minutes for 15 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Try Conservation of Energy and Efficiency Calculations.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheetsYear 10 · Science · Forces & Motion

Momentum, Collisions and Vehicle Safety

Name

Date

Score /

p = mv. Total momentum before = total momentum after. Longer stopping time, smaller force.

Part A: Momentum

Momentum is the product of mass and velocity: p = mv, measured in kg m/s. A moving object with a large mass or a high velocity has a lot of momentum and is harder to stop. Because velocity has a direction, so does momentum.

1.Calculate the momentum of a 1200 kg car travelling at 15 m/s.
2.Calculate the momentum of a 60 g tennis ball travelling at 50 m/s.
3.Which has the greatest momentum?
  1. AA 70 kg runner at 8 m/s
  2. BA 1000 kg car at rest
  3. CA 0.5 kg ball at 30 m/s
  4. DA 20 kg dog at 10 m/s
4.Momentum has direction as well as size, so an object moving left can be given negative momentum. ☐ True   ☐ False
5.A loaded truck and a small car travel side by side at the same speed. Which is harder to stop, and why? (answer space)

Part B: Conservation of momentum

Law of conservation of momentum: in a collision or explosion, when no external forces act, the total momentum before = total momentum after.

In an explosion or push-off, objects start at rest, so the total momentum is zero before and after: the momenta of the parts are equal in size and opposite in direction.

6.A 2 kg cart moving at 3 m/s collides with a stationary 1 kg cart, and they stick together. Find their velocity just after the collision.
7.Two ice skaters stand still and push off each other. The 60 kg skater moves away at 2 m/s. How fast does the 40 kg skater move, and in which direction?
8.A 50 kg person jumps from a stationary 200 kg boat towards a dock at 4 m/s. What happens to the boat?
9.Explain, using momentum, why the lighter skater moves faster. (answer space)

Part C: Force and stopping time

Newton's second law can be written as force = change in momentum ÷ time taken, F = Δp ÷ t. For the same change in momentum, a longer stopping time means a smaller force.

10.A 0.15 kg ball travelling at 40 m/s is caught and stopped in 0.1 s. What average force does the catcher's hand exert?
11.The catcher moves their hands back so the ball stops in 0.3 s instead. What is the force now?
12.A 1000 kg car travelling at 20 m/s hits a wall. Calculate the average force if it stops in 0.1 s, and if a crumple zone extends the stopping time to 0.5 s.
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

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About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring Science Team
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.