Experimental Report 2

VERIFICATION OF CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM AND KINETIC

ENERGY USING AIR TRACK
Student name: Mai Thanh Hải Verification of instructors
Student ID: 20210308
Class: Advance Program of Control and
Automation Engineering ( EE-E8 )
Group : 02

I. Experimental Motivations:
- Develop the understanding about conservation of momentum and kinetic energy.
- Improve experimental and data processing skills.
II. Theoretical Background:
1, Instruments
-Air track, Blower, Two photo-gates, Two digital timers, Two gliders attached with
flags, Glider brackets and steel spring.
2, Momentum and conservation of momentum
-Based on Newton's Second Law of motion and the definition of acceleration, we
have:
d ⃗v dm ⃗v d ⃗p
∑ ⃗F =m⃗a =m dt = dt
=
dt
For the system, the internal forces are canceled due to the Newton’s third law.
Then, if the vector sum of the external forces is zero, the time rate of change of the
total momentum is zero. Hence, the total momentum of the system is constant.
3, Elastic and Inelastic collision
a, Elastic collision
-In any collision in which external forces can be neglected, momentum is
conserved and the total momentum before equals the total momentum after:
m1 . ⃗ v 2=m1 . ⃗
v 1+m2 . ⃗ v ' 1+ m2 . ⃗
v '2
-In elastic collisions only, the total kinetic energy before equals the total kinetic
energy after:
1 2 1 1 2 1
v 2 = m1 . ⃗
v ' 1 + m2 . ⃗
2 2
m1 . ⃗
v 1 + m2 . ⃗ v'2
2 2 2 2
b, Inelastic collision
-A collision in which the total kinetic energy after the collision is less than before
the collision is called an inelastic collision.
-Conservation of momentum gives the relationship:
m1 . ⃗ v 2=( m 1 +m 2 ) ⃗
v 1+m2 . ⃗ v'
- Supposem2 is initially at rest, then velocity of both bodies after collision:
 m1
v '= v
m1 +m2 1
-The kinetic energies K and K’ before and after the collision, respectively, are:
1 2
K= 2 m1 . v 1
2
1 1 m1
K’= ( m¿ ¿ 1+m2). v ' 2= (m ¿ ¿1+ m2 ).( v ) ¿¿
2 2 m 1 +m 2 1
Then, the ratio of final to initial kinetic energy is:
K m1 +m2
=
K' m1
III. Experimental procedure
1. Preparation
- Setup the equipment so that the glide 2 will be stationary in the center of the track
between the gates ( v 2= 0) and the glide 1 is placed in one end of the track.
- Make several trial runs of the collision before doing any measurements.
2. Elastic collision
-Step 1: Gently push the glide 1 to make it move due to the elastic force exerted by
the spring and pass through the photo-gate 1. Quickly record the moving time t 1
displayed on the first digital timer. The glide 1 will collide with the glide 2 in the
middle. Two glides bounce apart, and go through the photo-gates once again
before you catch them to ensure that they do not go through the photo-gates a third
time. Then, record both the time t ' 2 displayed on the second timer and the total
time t 1+ t ' 1 on the first timer. The moving time of the glide 1 after collision ( t ' 1) is
determined by subtract t 1 from the total time t 1+ t ' 1.
-Step 2: Repeat the measurement procedure for more 9 times and record all the
measurement results in a data sheet.
3. Inelastic collision
-Step 1: Attach a piece of clay on one end of glide 2 facing to glide 1 to make them
stick together after collision.
-Step 2: Perform measurement procedure and record the moving time of two glides
before and after collision as illustrated in.
-Step 3: Repeat the measurement procedure for more 9 times and record all the
measurement results in a data sheet.
IV. Experimental result
1) Elastic collision:
m1=400 g , m2=800 g , s=0.1(m) , v 2=0
Parameter t 1(s) t ' 2(s) t ' 1(s)
Trial
1 0.169 0.282 0.644
 2 0.169 0.283 0.627
3 0.169 0.284 0.676
4 0.172 0.287 0.672
5 0.168 0.278 0.663
6 0.169 0.281 0.670
7 0.168 0.280 0.635
8 0.168 0.282 0.622
9 0.171 0.283 0.680
10 0.168 0.278 0.615
10 10 10

∑ t1i ∑ t '2i ∑ t '1i

Average value t 1=
i=1
t ' 2=
i=1
t ' 1=
i=1
10 10 10
¿ 0.169 ¿ 0.282 ¿ 0.650

√ √ √
10 10 10

∑ (t 1¿ ¿ i−t1 ) 2
∑ (t ' 2¿ ¿i−t '2 ) 2
∑ (t ' 1¿ ¿ i−t '1 )2
s.d. i=1
¿ i=1
¿ i=1
¿
10 10 10
≅ 0.001 ≅ 0.003 ≅ 0.023
s.d . s.d . s.d .
S.D. ∆ t 1=
√10
≅ 0.001 ∆ t ' 2=
√10
≅ 0.001 ∆ t ' 1=
√10
≅ 0.007
s s
s v ' 2= =0.355 v ' 1= =0.154
v1 = =0.592 t '2 t '1
t1
∆ v ' 2= ∆ v ' 1=

√( ) ( )
∆ t1 2 ∆ s

√( √(
2
∆ v 1= v1 +
)( )
∆ t '2 2 ∆ s
)( )
∆ t '1 2 ∆ s
2 2
t1 s v'2 + v'1 +
t '2 s t '1 s
≅ 0.007
≅ 0.004 ≅ 0.002
2) Inelastic collision
m1=800 g , m2=400 g , s=0.1(m) , v 2=0

Parameter
Trial
t 1(s) t’= t ' 1=t ' 2(s)
1 0.290 0.419
2 0.292 0.450
3 0.294 0.485
4 0.293 0.463
5 0.292 0.479
6 0.295 0.443
 7 0.299 0.449
8 0.299 0.416
9 0.290 0.448
10 0.299 0.470
10 10

Average value ∑ t1 i ∑ t 'i

i=1 i=1
t 1= =0.294 t '= =0.452
10 10

√ √
10 10

s.d. ∑ (t 1i −t1 ) 2
∑ (t ' ¿¿ i−t ')2
i=1 i=1
≅ 0.003 ≅ 0.022¿
10 10
s.d . s.d .
S.D. ∆ t 1=
√10
≅ 0.001 ∆ t '=
√10
≅ 0.007
s s
v1 = =0.340 v '= =0.221
t1 t'

√( ∆ t1 2 ∆ s
)( ) √( ) ( )
2 2 2
∆ v 1= v1 + ∆ v ' = v ' ∆t ' + ∆ s
t1 s t' s
≅ 0.004 ≅ 0.004
* Data processing:
1) Elastic collision
a) Momentum
+) Before collision:
⃗p=m1 . ⃗
v 1 +m2 . ⃗
v2
−3
p=m1 . v 1 +m2 .0=400 ×10 × 0.592=0.237 (kg . m/s)

√( )( )
∆ m1 2 ∆ v 1 2
√( )( )
−3 2 2
0.1 ×10 0.007
∆ p=p + =0.237 × −3
+ =0.003
m1 v1 400 ×10 0.592
Hence, p= 0 . 237 ± 0. 003(kg . m/s)
+) After collision:
⃗
p '=m1 . ⃗
v ' 1 +m2 . ⃗
v '2
−3 −3
p '=−m1 . v ' 1 +m2 . v ' 2=−400 × 10 × 0.154+ 800× 10 ×0.355=0.222(kg . m/s )

√( )( )( )( )
∆ m1 2 ∆ v ' 1 2 ∆ m2 2 ∆ v ' 2 2
∆ p ' = p' + + +
m1 v '1 m2 v '2

√( )( )( )( )
−3 2 2 −3 2 2
0.1 ×10 0.002 0.1 ×10 0.004
¿ 0.222 × −3
+ + −3
+ =0.004
400 × 10 0.154 800 ×10 0.355
Hence, p’= 0.222± 0 . 004( kg . m/ s)
+) The percent change in average momentum:
| p−p ' | |0.237−0.222|
C %= × 100 %= ×100 %=6.33 %
p 0.237
b) Kinetic Energy
+) Before collision:
1 1 1 1
K = m1 . v 12+ m2 . v 22= .400× 10−3 ×0.5922 + .800 ×10−3 ×0=0.070(J )
2 2 2 2

√( )( ) √( )(
2 2

)
∆ m1 ∆ v1 0.1 ×10
−3 2
0.007
2
∆ K =K + 2× =0.070 × + 2× =0.002
m1 v1 400 × 10
−3
0.592
Hence, K= 0.070± 0 . 002(J )
+) After collision:
1 1 1 1
K ' = m1 . v ' 12+ m2 . v ' 22= .400 ×10−3 ×0.154 2 + .800× 10−3 ×0.3552=0.055(J )
2 2 2 2

√( )( )( )( ) √( )( )( )(
2 2 2 2
∆ m1 ∆ v'1 ∆ m2 ∆ v'2 0.1×10
−3 2
0.002
2
0.1 ×10
−3 2
∆ K '=K ' + 2× + + 2× =0.055 × + 2× + +2
m1 v '1 m2 v'2 400× 10
−3
0.154 800 ×10
−3

Hence, K= 0.055± 0 . 002(J )

+) The percent change in average kinetic energy:
|K −K '| |0.070−0.055|
C %= × 100 %= ×100 %=21.43 %
K 0.070
*Comment:
According to the processed data above, the changes in average momentum and
kinetic energy through the collision are 6.33% and 21.43%, respectively.The
theory of elastic collision states that the momentum is conserved and the total
kinetic energy before and after collision is unchanged. However, (neglect the
instrument uncertainties) our experimental uncertainties may be caused by these
reasons:
-The spring used in experiment is not ideal
-The air track is not completely vertical
-Air resistant
-The values of initial velocity v1 of massm1 in different trials are not concentrated
leading to greater uncertainty.
Nevertheless, there exist some measurements in our experiment which achieved
the changes less than 5%, proof:
|( p+ ∆ p)−( p '−∆ p' )| |(0.237−0.003)−(0.222+ 0.004)|
C % minp = = =3.38 %
p 0.237
|( K−∆ K )−(K '+ ∆ K ' )| |(0.070−0.002)−(0.055+0.002)|
C % minK = = =15.71 %
K 0.070
We can notice that the kinetic energy after an elastic collision is less than before
the collision. But the numbers are acceptable since the collision is not completely
elastic.
2) Inelastic collision
a) Momentum
+) Before collision:
 ⃗p=m1 . ⃗
v 1 +m2 . ⃗
v2
−3
p=m1 . v 1 +m 2 .0=800 ×10 ×0.340=0.272(kg .m/ s)

√( )( )
∆ m1 2 ∆ v 1 2
√( )( )
−3 2 2
0.1× 10 0.004
∆ p=p + =0.272× + =0.003
m1 v1 800× 10 −3
0.340
Hence, p= 0.272± 0 . 003(kg . m/s)
+) After collision:
⃗
p '=(m1+ m2) . ⃗
v'
−3 −3
p '=(m1 +m2) . v ' =(800 ×10 + 400 ×10 )× 0.221=0.265 (kg . m/s)

√( )( )( )
∆ m1 2 ∆ m2 2 ∆ v ' 2
∆ p ' = p' + +
m1 m2 v'

√( )( )( )
−3 2 −3 2 2
0.1 ×10 0.1 ×10 0.004
¿ 0.265 × + + =0.005
800 ×10
−3
400 × 10
−3
0.221
Hence, p’= 0.265± 0 . 005(kg . m/s)
+) The percent change in average momentum:
| p−p ' | |0.272−0.265|
C %= × 100 %= × 100 %=2.57 %
p 0.272
b) Kinetic Energy
+) Before collision:
1 2 1 2 1 −3 2 1 −3
K = m1 . v 1 + m2 . v 2 = .800× 10 ×0.340 + .400 ×10 × 0=0.046 (J )
2 2 2 2

√(
∆ m1 2
)( ∆ v1 2
) √( )( )
2
0.1 ×10−3 0.004 2
∆ K =K + 2× =0.046 × + 2 × =0.001
m1 v1 800 ×10−3 0.340
Hence, K= 0.046± 0 . 001(J )
+) After collision:
1 2 1 −3 −3 2
K ' = (m1+ m2). v ' = .(800 ×10 +400 ×10 )×0.221 =0.029(J )
2 2

√( )( )( √( )( )(
2 2

) )
∆ m1 ∆ m2 ∆v' 2 0.1× 10−3
2
0.1× 10−3
2
0.004 2
∆ K ' =K ' + + 2× =0.029 × −3
+ −3
+ 2× =0.001
m1 m2 v' 800× 10 400 ×10 0.221
Hence, K= 0.029± 0 . 001(J )
+) The percent change in average kinetic energy:
|K −K '| |0.046−0.029|
C %= × 100 %= ×100 %=36.96 %
K 0.046
We can notice that the kinetic energy after a completely inelastic collision is
significantly less than before the collision.
*Comment:
In inelastic collision, the momentum is conserved but kinetic energy after collision
is less than before. Our experimental data shows the changes of momentum and
kinetic energy are 2.41% and 36.51%, respectively.Theoretically, the ratio of final
to initial kinetic energy :
K' m1 800
= = =66.67 %
K m1 +m2 800+ 400
In our experiment, this ratio equals:

K ' 0.029
= =63.04 %
K 0.046
The uncertainties is not too large and I think our experimental results are
acceptable.