Lab 4 Momentum, Energy and Collisions

AIM
 Observe completely inelastic collisions between two carts, testing for the conservation of
momentum.
 Measure energy changes during completely inelastic collisions.

THEORY
Conservation laws are very powerful tools in understanding physical phenomena. They allow us
to predict the outcome of an event, given information about the input physical quantities. In the
case of momentum conservation, which suggests that without any external forces acting on a
system, the net momentum vector of that system remains constant, knowing the initial momenta
of two colliding objects allows us to predict their final momenta after the collision. As one might
expect, this basic principle underlies many important areas of research today, including a range
of topics varying from improvement of safety features in automotive vehicles to investigating the
properties of high-energy single particle collisions.

To develop a fundamental understanding of the principle of linear momentum conservation, this

experiment makes use of two low-friction dynamics carts colliding along a track. If the track is
perfectly level, gravity does not affect their collisions Assuming two low-friction dynamics carts
form an “isolated system” along one dimension.

Despite the conservation of linear momentum applying universally to all isolated systems,
however, there are two distinct types of collisions that may occur between objects in such a
system. In the first, known as an “elastic” collision, the two objects interact and (sometimes)
rebound off one another, conserving not only momentum but also energy. No energy is “lost” (or
converted) into heat or sound or deformations of the objects; instead, all of the input kinetic
energy equals all of the output kinetic energy. In the second type of collision, known as an
“inelastic” collision, the two objects interact and stick together, still conserving the linear
momentum of the isolated system, but no longer conserving the energy of the system. Instead,
some input kinetic energy is converted into other forms like heat, sound, friction, etc., and so, the
output kinetic energy of the objects is less than the input kinetic energy. This distinction will
become clear when you see the physical outcome of each type of collision!

Physics with Vernier

MATERIALS
LabQuest dynamics cart track
LabQuest App two low-friction dynamics carts with
Motion Detector Velcro™ bumpers

PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS
1. Consider a head-on collision between two cars. One is initially at rest and the other moves
toward it. After the collision they stick together. Sketch a position vs. time graph for each car,
starting with time before the collision and ending a short time afterward.
2. Is momentum conserved in this collision? Is kinetic energy conserved? How can you tell?

PROCEDURE
1. The masses of the carts was measured and recorded as shown in the table. .
2. The track was set up so that it was horizontal.
3. A motion sensor was set up at the end of the track.

4. Cart 1 was placed near the end of the track with the motion sensor (but about 50 cm away)
and Cart 2 further down the track, as shown below.

5. Recording was started and cart was 1 was given a quick push.

6. A graph of velocity vs time was generated by the Vernier.

Physics with Vernier 2

 8. From the velocity graph generated the average velocity before and after the collision for
each cart was recorded, corresponding to the cart speed before the collision and then the
speed of the two carts together after the collision.
9. The collisions and analysis were repeated three more times for a total of four runs.

DATA TABLE

Mass of cart 1 = 0.5005 g Mass of cart 2 = 0.5022 g

Run Velocity of Velocity of Velocity of Velocity of

number cart 1 cart 2 cart 1 after cart 2
before before collision after
collision collision collision
(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (m/s)
1
2
3
4

Run Momentum Momentum Momentum Momentum Total Total Ratio of

number of cart 1 of cart 2 of cart 1 of cart 2 momentum momentum total
before before after after before after momentum
collision collision collision collision collision collision after/before
(kg•m/s) (kg•m/s) (kg•m/s) (kg•m/s) (kg•m/s) (kg•m/s)
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0

Run KE of KE of KE of KE of Total KE Total KE Ratio of

number cart 1 cart 2 cart 1 cart 2 before after total KE
before before after after collision collision after/before
collision collision collision collision
(J) (J) (J) (J) (J) (J)
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0

Physics with Vernier 3

ANALYSIS
1. Using the data provided determine the momentum (mv) of each cart before the collision, after
the collision, and the total momentum before and after the collision.

2. Calculate the error in all the momentum calculations.( assume a 2.0% error in the mass and a
1.0 % error in the speed.)

3. Calculate the ratio of the total momentum after the collision to the total momentum before
the collision and the errors

4. Determine the kinetic energy and error (½ mv2) for each cart before and after the collision.
Calculate the ratio of the total kinetic energy after the collision to the total kinetic energy
before the collision and the errors.

5. If the total momentum for a system is the same before and after the collision, we say that
momentum is conserved. If momentum were conserved, what would be the ratio of the total
momentum after the collision to the total momentum before the collision?

6. If the total kinetic for a system is the same before and after the collision, we say that kinetic
energy is conserved. If kinetic were conserved, what would be the ratio of the total kinetic
energy after the collision to the total kinetic energy before the collision?

7. For your four runs, inspect the momentum ratios. Even if momentum is conserved for a given
collision, the measured values may not be exactly the same before and after due to
measurement uncertainty. The ratio should be close to one, however. Is momentum
conserved in your collisions?

8. Repeat the preceding question for the case of kinetic energy. Is kinetic energy conserved in
your completely inelastic collisions?

9. Discuss your results.

Physics with Vernier 4