Activity 5: Linear Momentum using Phet Simulation

Name: Diane G. Marcial Group No.: 3

Objectives:

1) To study the types of Collision in one dimension between two balls by using PHET
Simulation.
2) To determine the kinetic Energy and the linear momentum of each ball before and after
the collision.
3) To conclude the main difference between the elastic collision and the inelastic collision.

Theory and Background:

⃑`
The general formula of Newton’s Second Law is ⃑` = where ⃑` is the external

force acting on the object, ⃑` is the linear momentum of the object and t is the time, when the
external force equal to zero the linear momentum becomes constant because ⃑→ = 0, so the
linear momentum is conserved regardless to the type of collision.

Part 1: Elastic Collision – a (m1=m2):

1) Click on the following link from PHET Colorado Simulation.

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/collision-lab/latest/collision-lab_en.html
Choose “Explore 1D”.

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2) Click on more data to see more options.
3) Adjust: Elasticity=100%
4) Select: m1=m2 = 2kg
5) Select: Position 1 (-0.5 m) and Position 2 (0.5 m)
6) Select: *v1i=2.00m/s and *v2i=0 as shown below:

7) Collision will take place between blue ball (m1) and pink ball (m2) of the equal masses
(m1=m2=2kg), with (m2) initially at rest (v2i=0). The blue ball (m1) will collide with pink ball
(m2) and essentially stops, then (m2) will move in the same direction of (m1) before
collision.

8) Click on Play, then after collision Pause.

9) Record the values of v1f and v2f after collision in table 1.

10) Calculate the values of Pi, Pf, Pf/Pi, Ki, Kf and Kf/Ki and record them in table 1.

11) Repeat the experiment for two different values of v1i (2.50 m/s) and (3.00 m/s), keep v2i
= 0 and repeat the steps 8 to 10 and record the values into table 1.

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 Table 1

V1i V2i V1f V2f Pi = Pf = m2v2f Pf/Pi Ki = Kf = Kf/Ki

m1v1i (1/2)m1v1i2 (1/2)m2v2f 2
(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (kg.m/s)
(kg.m/s) (J) (J)

2.00 0 0 2.00 4.00 4.00 1.00 4.00 4.00 1.00

2.50 0 0 2.50 5.00 5.00 1.00 6.25 6.25 1.00

3.00 0 0 3.00 6.00 6.00 1.00 9.00 9.00 1.00

Part 1: Elastic Collision – b (m1≠m2):

1) Use the same link from PHET Colorado Simulation.

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/collision-lab/latest/collision-lab_en.html
Choose “Explore 1D”.
2) KEEP Elasticity = 100%
3) Select: m1 = 3kg and m2 = 2kg
4) KEEP: *position 1 (-0.5 m) and *position 2 (0.5 m)
5) Select: *v1i=2.00m/s and *v2i=0.5m/s

6) Click on Play, then after collision Pause.

7) Record the values of v1f and v2f after collision into tables 2 & 3.

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 8) Calculate the values of Pi, Pf, Pf/Pi, Ki, Kf and Kf/Ki and record them into tables 2 & 3.
9) Repeat the experiment for other three different values of v1i and v2i as mentioned in the
tables 2 & 3, and record the values into tables 2 & 3.

Table 2
V1i V2i V1f V2f Pi = m1v1i + m2v2i Pf = m1v1f + m2v2f Pf/Pi

(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (kg.m/s) (kg.m/s)

2.00 0.50
0.80 2.30 7.00 7.00 1.00
2.50 0.75
1.10 2.85 9.00 9.00 1.00
3.00 1.00
1.40 3.40 11.0 11.0 1.00

Table 3

V1i V2i V1f V2f Ki = (0.5m1v1i2) + (0.5m2v2i2) Kf = (0.5m1v1f2) + (0.5m2v2f2) Kf/Ki

(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (J) (J)

2.00 0.50
0.80 2.30 6.25 6.25 1.00
2.50 0.75
1.10 2.85 9.94 9.94 1.00
3.00 1.00
1.40 3.40 14.5 14.5 1.00

What have you observed from the activity? How does the data from part (a) and part (b)
similar/vary? What quantities are constant?

We have observed that the data from part (a) and part (b) vary since the masses are equal in
part (a) while the masses are not equal in part (b) thus the linear momenta and kinetic energy of
the balls are different. The linear momentum and kinetic energy were conserved hence they are
the quantities that are considered to be constant.

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Part 2: Inelastic Collision:

1) Use the same link from PHET Colorado Simulation.

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/collision-lab/latest/collision-lab_en.html
Choose “Explore 1D”.

2) CHANGE: Elasticity to 0%
3) Select: m1 = 3kg and m2 = 2kg
4) KEEP: *position 1 (-0.5 m) and *position 2 (0.5 m)
5) Select: *v1i=2.00m/s and *v2i=0

6) Click on Play, then after collision Pause

7) Record the value of vf into tables 4 & 5.
8) Calculate the values of Pi, Pf, Pf/Pi, Ki, Kf and Kf/Ki and record them into tables 4 & 5.

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 9) Repeat the experiment for other three different values of v1i and KEEP v2i = 0 as shown
in the tables 4 & 5and record the values into tables 4 & 5.

Table 4
V1i V2i Vf Pi = m1v1i Pf = (m1+m2)vf Pf/Pi

(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (kg.m/s) (kg.m/s)

2.00 0
1.20 6.00 6.00 1.00
2.50 0
1.50 7.50 7.50 1.00
3.00 0
1.80 9.00 9.00 1.00

Table 5
V1i V2i Vf Ki = (0.5m1v1i2) Kf = 0.5(m1+m2) vf2 Kf/Ki

(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (J) (J)

2.00 0
1.20 6.00 3.60 0.60
2.50 0 1.50 0.60
9.38 5.63
3.00 0
1.80 13.5 8.10 0.60

Conclusion:

What is the difference between elastic and inelastic collision?

The difference between elastic collision and inelastic collision is that, in an elastic
collision the total kinetic energy and total momentum are conserved, and no conversion
of energy takes place. Meanwhile in an inelastic collision, the total momentum is
conserved but the total kinetic energy is not conserved, and the kinetic energy is changed
into other energy like sound or heat energy.

***This Lab activity is adapted from the Department of Applied Physics , College of
Sciences, University of Sharjah
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