Introductory Physics, PHYS 1411

Lab 03: momentum Lab

Objec?ve

To inves)gate what happens to the momentum of objects a6er they collide?

Direc?ons:
1. Click on the “momentum lab” link (or copy and then paste at your browser address link)

hBps://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/collision-lab/latest/collision-lab_en.html

or

hBps://phet.colorado.edu/sims/collision-lab/collision-lab_en.html.

2. In the green box at the top right click on “velocity vectors” to remove arrows.

3. Make sure the “elas6city” is at 100%

4. Change the mass of balls so they are the same.

5. In the yellow box below click on “more data”

 6. Fill in the data table below with the informa)on from the screen. (note the momentum
you see now is the Momentum before)

Data Table: one moving ball

Ball # Mass Posi6on Velocity Momentum Momentum

(in kg) (m) (m/s) before a:er
(kg m/s) (kg m/s)
1
2 o 32 I 2 O
2
2 I 23 O O 2
7. Predict what will happen to the momentum as one ball crashes into the other.

will start to move with

The second ball
velocity as the first one and the first
the same
Ghee will come to rest
8. Click the “play” buBon and allow the balls to collide.

9. Just a6er they collide click the “pause” buBon and record for Momentum a:er in the
data in the data table above.

10. What was the total momentum before (add the momentum of ball 1 and ball 2)?

Ball I p mv Bail 2 p _mu

a
n.mg
kg m/s
p a
E iii saataog
2kg
p (add mis
11. What was the total momentum a:er the momentum of ball 1 and ball 2)?
Ball I p mu Balla P mu
kg m/s
10 2 0 110 2 1 n.mg
2 P 0kg mis p 2kg mis
aataog

12. Describe what happened to the total momentum of the two balls before and a6er the
collision.
transferred to the other
The momentum of one boy was unchange
momentum of the system
ball making the total as
momentum before collision is the same
The
after collision
The momentum
M Vit Mz Va i Chiu th Va f
 13. Click “restart” and set ball 2’s velocity to -1.00m/s

14. Fill in the data table below.

Data table 2: two balls moving

Ball # Mass Posi6on Velocity Momentum Momentum

(in kg) (m) (m/s) before a:er
(kg m/s) (kg m/sec)
1
2 o 63 I 2 2
2
2 o 93 I 2 2
15. Predict what will happen when the balls collide.

Once the balls same

collide they will share the
in opposite direction in
momentum but travel and kinetic
this perfect elastic collision Both momentum
bounce back with EToecity
are conserved and they will
16.energy
Click “play” and watch as the balls collide.

17. Just a6er they collide click the “pause” buBon and record the values of the momentum
in the data table above.

18. What is the total momentum before (add the momentum of ball 1 and ball 2)?

Ball I p _mu Bau 2 p mu

10 2 1
10 2 C D
kg m/s P 2 Kg mis P 2kg mis

2t2 oKgm1Smw
19. What is the total momentum a6er (add the momentum of ball 1 and ball 2?
Ban 1 p mu Bail 2 p_mu
O kg m/s
p 2 1 p 2c D a aokgmismw
D 2kgofmis P 2kgmis
20. What can you say about the total momentum both balls before and a6er the
collision?
remains same in this
The total momentum
zeros
case it becomes
 21. Describe the rela)onship you have discovered.
A If themassesof bans are the same and one is moving
while thesecond is stationary then afterconisionthe firstban
come to rest and the second ban will startmovingwith
win same
ne velocity and direction as the firstoneanatnetotal
momentum remains the same before and aftercollision
B In a perfectlyelasticconisionwheretwobumshavethesame
mass andvelocities that areequal in magnitude butoppositein
direction the bans willtraveltowards eachother bounce then
travel in the oppositedirectionin the same speed
momentumbecomes o
22. What would happen to the total momentum if you changed the size of the balls so one
has more mass than the other?
The with the smaller mass will bounce back with
ball
of bail with greater mass
greater velocity in the direction
and total momentum of the system charges The ban with
of ball
higher mass will bounce back in the direction
with smaller mass bat with Lower velocity
Extra Credit: make a data table below and prove the claim you made in step 22.

Ball Mass position velocity velocity momentummomentum

number before after before after
kg m
curls cm Ig CkgmistCkgmis

I l I l 167 I 1.67

2 2 I I 33 2 0.67