Name: ______Date: ______Period: ______
Momentum and Collision Lab
Notes:
1. Each person must submit their own lab report.
2. No Scribbles (-10 if I see one).
3. Maximum number of lineouts is 2. (Any more than that is -10)
Pre-lab Questions (10%)
In the following illustration, one cart moves towards another stationary cart. They will collide, stick, and move together.
Pre-lab 1: Write the equation for the conservation of momentum in this case?
Pre-lab 2: Do you expect Vf to be greater than Vi or less than Vi? Explain why and prove it with equations.
Pre-lab 3: If we have that m1 = 0.500 kg, m2 = 1.000 kg, v1 = 0.25 m/s, and vf = 0.07 m/s, calculate the initial and final momentum and the impulse? (Show all work)
Conservation of Momentum Lab
Lab Purpose:
The purpose of this lab is to observe and describe the conservation of momentum between two objects.
Hypothesis (10%): If two objects collide then the momentum of the first object will be:
Materials:
2 rulers
2 timers
1 small marble
1 large marble, 2 books
Procedure:
1. Measure and record the mass of each marble in Kilograms and enter it into your data table #2.
2. Make a ramp like the illustration on the board, using two rulers and two books.
3. Make sure the grooves in the rulers’ line-up so the marbles can roll down the ramp and onto the horizontal ruler.
4. Stand two books upright and set one ruler with the 10cm mark highest edge of the two books.
5. Place the second ruler on the horizontal surface with one end centered on the bottom of the ramp.
6. Set the large marble on the 20cm mark on the flat ruler as measured from the end of the ramp.
7. Set the small marble on the 10cm mark on the slanted ruler.
8. Release the small marble and measure the time it takes for that marble to travel only the horizontal 20cm before it collides with the large marble.
9. When the small marble collides with the large marble measure the time it takes for the large marble to travel 20cm.
10. Enter the above data into your data table #1.
11. Repeat steps 6-10 four more times and average the time.
DATA TABLE #1 (10%)
TRIAL / Time for the small marble to travel 20cm horizontally before collision (sec) / Time for the large marble to travel 20cm after collision (sec)1
2
3
4
5
Avg. Time
TABLE #2 (10%)
Mass(kg) / Distance(meters) / Average
Time (sec)
From table#1 / Velocity
(m/sec) / Momentum
Mass x Velocity
(kgm/s)
Small Marble
Large Marble
Analyze and conclude: Answer each question and use complete sentences.(60%)
1. Calculate the Velocity and momentum of each marble and enter the values into Table #2, in scientific notation and rounded to two decimal places?
2. Do you accept or reject your hypothesis? Why or why not?
3. What is the equation for momentum, conservation of momentum and impulse?
4. What is the Law of Conservation of Momentum in words?
5. What was the difference between the momentum of the small marble before the collision and the large marble after the collision? (Show your work and circle your answer.)
6. Should the momentum of the two marbles be the same or different? Explain using equations.
7. If there was a difference in momentum between the two marbles, what caused this to happen? What was the impulse on the stationary marble due to the collision? Show work.