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Question

How do you find impulse from a graph?


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Solution

Impulse: impulse is the effect of force acting on an object with respect to time as the momentum of that object changes.

Impulse is the area under the curve of force vs. time graph.

Areas above the time axis of the graph are positive Δp\Delta pand areas below the axis of the graph are negative Δp\Delta p.

If the force is not be constant, we can divide the graph into two or more sections and add up the impulse in each section.

For Example, to find the total impulse on the object in the force vs. time graph in Figure over t1+t2t_1+t_2, the areas of A1A_1 and A2A_2 can be added together.

A1A_1​ is a rectangle of height F0F_0 and width t1t_1. A2A_2 is a triangle of height F0F_0 and base t2t_2. The total impulse on the object over t1+t2t_1 + t_2 is

Δp=A1+A2=F0t1+12F0t2

Hence, we can find the impulse by force vs time graph.


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