Momentum Practice Problems
- Posted by Brian Stocker
- Date June 11, 2020
- Comments 1 comment
Momentum Practice Questions | CAEC, OACP & Canada Trades
Stop wasting time with generic physics textbooks that overcomplicate the basics. If you are preparing for the OACP math test preparation, the CAEC Science study guide Canada, or a Firefighter aptitude test, you don’t need a degree in astrophysics—you need to master the specific way Canadian examiners frame momentum problems.
Most applicants fail the mechanical reasoning section not because they can’t do the math, but because they get tripped up by “unit traps” or Americanized prep materials that don’t align with provincial standards. We’ve calibrated these Canadian Trades momentum questions to ensure you walk into the testing centre with the confidence to pass on your first attempt.
Master the Formula: P = mv – Practice for Canadian Exams
To pass the OACP math test preparation or the Alberta Trades entrance exam physics section, you don’t just need to memorize a formula—you need to understand how mass and motion translate into “impact” on the job.
In simple terms, momentum is “mass in motion.” It is the product of how heavy an object is and how fast it’s moving.
The Master Equation
In every Canadian testing centre, from British Columbia to Newfoundland, the standard remains the same:
P = m ⋅ v
P = Momentum
m = Mass (Must be in kilograms for Canadian SI standards)
v = Velocity (Speed with a specific direction)
The “Canadian Metric Guardrail”
Don’t let American study guides confuse you with pounds or feet. To secure your CAEC Science study guide Canada credentials or your Ontario Skilled Trades certification, you must use the International System of Units (SI):
Mass (m): Measured in kilograms (kg).
Velocity (v): Measured in metres per second (m/s).
Momentum (P): Therefore measured in kg ⋅ m/s.
Pro-Tip: On the exam, “Speed” is a trick. “Velocity” is the truth. Because momentum is a vector quantity, your answer is only 100% correct if it includes a direction (e.g., 96.4 kg ⋅ m/s downward).
Mass vs. Velocity: The “Real-World” Comparison
Imagine a patrol car and a mountain bike both travelling at 20 m/s down a street in Victoria. Even though their velocity is identical, their momentum is worlds apart.
The Car: Massive weight × 20 m/s = Massive Momentum.
The Bike: Low weight × 20 m/s = Low Momentum.
This is exactly how Firefighter aptitude test mechanical reasoning questions are framed. They won’t just ask for a number; they’ll ask you to predict which object is harder to stop.
The Momentum Career-Path Matrix
| Target Exam | How Momentum is Tested | Key Focus Area | Recommended Prep |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAEC (High School Equivalency) | Basic physics theory within the Science subtest. | Foundational $P=mv$ word problems. | View CAEC Prep → |
| Canadian Firefighter | Mechanical Reasoning and spatial awareness. | Force of impact, hose pressure, and moving loads. | View Firefighter Prep → |
| Alberta Trades (AIT) | Entrance Exam 1 & 2 Technical Math. | Unit conversions, impulse, and recoil math. | View Alberta Trades Prep → |
| Canada Trades Entrance | General science and mechanical aptitude. | Conservation of momentum in industrial settings. | View Canada Trades Prep → |
Why This Matters for Your Career
Whether you are aiming for a career in the Skilled Trades Ontario network, preparing for the OACP, or challenging the Alberta AIT, momentum isn't just a classroom concept—it's a safety and performance metric. For First Responders: Understanding momentum helps you predict vehicle behavior during extrications and heavy equipment operation. For Tradespeople: Mastering mass and velocity ensures you can calculate load stresses and tool impact forces accurately, preventing costly mistakes on the job site.The Momentum ‘Silent Killers’: Don’t Let These 3 Mistakes Sink Your Score.
- Before you touch your calculator on the Alberta Trades entrance exam or the OACP, run through this checklist. Making even one of these common mistakes is the fastest way to drop 10% on your mechanical reasoning score.
- [ ] Mistake 1: Treating Mass and Weight as Twins
- The Trap: In everyday Canadian English, we use these interchangeably. On a physics exam, that’s a “fail.”
- The Reality: Mass ($m$) is the amount of matter (measured in kg). Weight is a force ($W = mg$) influenced by gravity.
- The Fix: If the question gives you weight in Newtons, you must find the mass first. Never plug Newtons into the $P = mv$ formula.
- [ ] Mistake 2: Forgetting that Velocity is a “Vector”
- The Trap: Confusing Speed with Velocity.
- The Reality: Speed is just a number (100 km/h). Velocity is speed plus direction (100 km/h West).
- The Fix: If your final answer for a Firefighter aptitude test doesn’t include a direction (North, South, Left, Right, Up, or Down), it is wrong. Period.
- [ ] Mistake 3: Falling for the “Unit Ambush”
- The Trap: Using grams or kilometres instead of the Canadian SI standard.
- The Reality: Momentum calculations require kilograms (kg) and metres per second (m/s).
- The Fix: Always perform your conversions before you multiply.
- $500\text{g} = 0.5\text{kg}$
- $36\text{km/h} = 10\text{m/s}$
- [ ] Mistake 4: The “Calculator Blindness”
- The Trap: Trusting the number on the screen without a “common sense” check.
- The Reality: If you calculate a $2\text{kg}$ hammer having more momentum than a $2,000\text{kg}$ truck, you’ve missed a decimal point.
- The Fix: Use the Stocker “Guesstimate” Rule: Mentally round the numbers first to see if your final answer is in the right ballpark.
- [ ] Mistake 1: Treating Mass and Weight as Twins
The Practice Zone
Alberta Trades Entrance Exam Format
Question 1: The “Coupled Force” Problem
The Scenario: A rolling tool cart (50 kg) moving at 4 m/s hits a stationary cart of the same mass (50 kg). They lock together and continue moving. What is the final velocity of the two carts?
- Step 1 (Total Initial Momentum): Pinitial = (Mass 1 X Velocity 1) + (Mass 2 X Velocity 2)
- Pinitial = (50 kg X 4 m/s) + (50 kg X 0 m/s)
- Pinitial = 200 kg X m/s
- Step 2 (Conservation Principle): Momentum before must equal momentum after Pinitial = Pfinal
- Step 3 (Final Velocity): The new total mass is 100 kg (50 kg + 50 kg).
-
- 200 kg X m/s = 100 kg X Vfinal
- Vfinal = 2 m/s
-
Answer: 2 m/s
Stocker Secret: If you double the mass (50 kg to 100 kg), the velocity must be cut in half to keep the momentum the same. You can solve this in your head in 5 seconds!
Question 2: The “Impact Force” Calculation (Impulse)
The Scenario: A 1300 kg vehicle is moving at 19 m/s. It takes 2.1 seconds for the braking system to stop it. What is the braking force required?
- Step 1 (Find Momentum Change): Initial P = 1300 X 19 = 24,700 kg X m/s. Final P = 0 (stopped).
- Step 2 (Apply Impulse Formula): Force X Time = Change in Momentum
F X 2.1 s = 24,700 kg X m/s - Step 3 (Solve for F): F = 24,700 / 2.1
F = 11,761.9 Newtons
Answer: 11,761.9 N
Stocker Secret: This is a classic Firefighter aptitude test mechanical reasoning question.
Remember: the shorter the time t, the higher the force F. This is why hitting a wall (short time) hurts more than hitting a hay bale (long time)!
Question 3: The “Recoil” Scenario
The Scenario: A pneumatic nail gun (2 kg) fires a 50 g nail at 80 m/s. What is the initial recoil velocity of the nail gun?
Step 1 (The Unit Trap!): Convert 50 g to kilograms immediately. 50 / 1000 = 0.05 kg.
Step 2 (Nail Momentum): Pnail = 0.05 kg 80 m/s = 4 kg X m/s forward.
Step 3 (Gun Momentum): For the system to remain balanced (starting at zero), the gun must have an equal and opposite momentum of 4 kg X m/s backward.
Step 4 (Gun Velocity): Pgun = Massgun X Vgun
4 kg X m/s = 2 kg Vgun
Vgun = 2 X m/s
Answer: 2 m/s backward (recoil)
Stocker Secret: On Canadian Trades momentum questions, always watch for units. If you used 50 instead of 0.05, you would have gotten 2000 m/s — a speed that would send the nail gun through the operator’s shoulder! Always check if your answer “makes sense” in the real world.
1. Three cars are travelling down an even road at a velocity of 110 m/s, calculate the car with the highest momentum if they are all moving at the same speed, but the first car weighs 2500kg, second car weighs 2650kg and third car weighs 2009kg?
a. First car
b. Second car
c. Third car
d. All have same momentum
2. What is the momentum of a log of wood that weighs 700kg rolling down a hill at 4.6m/s.
a. 3220 kg x m/s down hill
b. 3320 kg x m/s
c. 3320 down hill
d. 3320 M
3. An object that weighs 500g is rolling along the road at 3.5m/s, what is the momentum of the object?
a. 124.9 kg x m/s along road
b. 17. 50 kg x m/s along road
c. 1750 kg x m/s along road
d. 1.75 kg x m/s along road
4. A javelin is thrown into a field at 18m/s. if the Javelin weighs 1.5kg, what is the momentum?
a. 1.2 kg x m/s into the field
b. 12 kg x m/s into the field
c. 27 kg x m/s into the field
d. 2.7 kg x m/s into the field
5. Which of these object has greater momentum, a 2kg truck moving east at 3.5m/s or a 4.3kg truck moving south at 1.5m/s?
a. First truck at 7 kg x m/s moving east
b. Second truck at 7.45 kg x m/s due south
c. First truck at 6.45 kg x m/s due east
d. Second truck at 7 kg x m/s due south
6. A bullet weighing 350g is shot towards a target at a velocity of 250m/s. Calculate the momentum of the bullet
a. 1.4 kg x m/s towards target
b. 87.5 kg x m/s towards target
c. 87500 kg x m/s towards target
d. 8.75 kg x m/s towards target
1. B
Momentum is a product of velocity and mass. If they are all traveling at the same speed, the car that weighs the most would have the highest momentum.
2. A
4.6 X 700 = 3220 down the hill
3. D
First convert 500g to kg = 500/1000 = 0.5kg, momentum = 0.5 x 3.5 = 1.75 kg x m/s along the road.
4. C
p = 1.5 x 18 = 27 kg x m/s into the field.
5. A
The momentum of first object = 2 x 3.5 = 7; momentum of second truck = 4.3 x 1.5 = 6.45. First truck has more momentum at 7 kg x m/s moving east.
6. B
First convert 350g to kg = 350/1000 = 0.35kg. Momentum of bullet = 0.35 x 250 = 87.5 kg x m/s towards target.
What to Expect on Exam Day: High-Probability Momentum Scenarios
Here is what type of questions to expect:
- Calculate the momentum of an object based on its mass and velocity.
Momentum = mass X velocity
Or
P = MV
Where P = momentum, V = velocity and M = mass
- Force and momentum – Explain how force and momentum are related and how analyze motion given the force and momentum.
- Momentum in two-dimensional motion: Analyze and calculate momentum in two-dimensional motion, for example, projectiles.
Inside the Examiner’s Mind: The Anatomy of a Wrong Answer
On high-stakes exams like the OACP math test preparation or the Canadian Firefighter aptitude test, examiners don’t just give you random numbers as decoys. They use “Logical Traps”—answers that look correct if you make one specific, common mistake.
The Sample Question:
A 1,200 kg patrol cruiser is travelling North at 15 m/s. What is its momentum?
The Options:
A) 18,000 kg
B) 18,000 m/s
C) 18,000 kg · m/s North
D) 18,000 kg · m/s
| Option | The Trap Logic | Why it’s a "Fail" |
|---|---|---|
| A) 18,000 kg | The Unit Half-Measure. You did the math correctly, but used the unit for Mass only. | In the Alberta Trades entrance exam, using the wrong unit is just as bad as getting the number wrong. |
| B) 18,000 m/s | The Velocity Confusion. You have the right number, but the unit for Velocity. | This signals to the examiner that you don't understand the physical properties of the object. |
| C) 18,000 kg·m/s North | The Perfect Vector. Includes the correct magnitude, SI units, and mandatory direction. | PASSED. This is the level of precision required by the OACP and Canadian Firefighter standards. |
| D) 18,000 kg·m/s | The Scalar Mistake. The most common trap. Units are correct, but you forgot the Direction. | Momentum is a vector. In Canadian safety sectors, an answer without direction is considered incomplete. |
The Stocker Strategy When you see a momentum question on a Canadian provincial exam, work backward from the units. Eliminate any option that doesn't end in kg · m/s and a direction. You can often find the right answer before you even touch your calculator!
Don’t Leave Your Career to Chance
Most applicants fail because they study generic physics rather than exam-specific traps. Whether you are challenging the Alberta AIT or the OACP, you need practice that is calibrated to the exact standards of your provincial authority.Choose your exam below to get the full training suite (PDF or Online Course):
| Target Canadian Exam | The "Panic" Factor | Secure Your Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta Trades (AIT) | Avoid the "Entrance Exam 1" math traps that sink 30% of applicants. | Get Alberta Prep |
| Canadian Firefighter | Master mechanical reasoning before the high-pressure recruitment window closes. | Get Firefighter Prep |
| CAEC (High School Equiv.) | Don't let the new 2024-2026 Science standards catch you off guard. | Get CAEC Prep |
| Canada Trades Entrance | The definitive guide for national and multi-province entrance exams. | Get National Prep |
Published: Thursday, June 11th, 2020
Created by Brian Stocker and the team in Victoria, BC.
Helping students succeed since 2005
Got a Question? Email me anytime - Brian@test-preparation.ca
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