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College of Engineering

Physics for Engineers (lab)

CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM
Activity 8

Date Performed: 06/16/22

Group #5

Members:

Kamar, Louie Andre-

Labrusca, Ernamie-

Rufo, Gabriel P.- Procedures and Lab Report

Tan Jr, Romeo C.-

Basic Concepts
Conservation of Momentum - The momentum of an isolated system remains constant. Interactions
within a system cannot change the vector sum of all the objects' momenta mv. In a closed system, this
significantly limits the types of motions that can occur. If one element of the system gains momentum in
one direction, another part or parts of the system must gain momentum in the opposing direction at the
same time. As far as we can tell, momentum conservation is an absolute symmetry of nature. That is,
there is nothing in nature that contradicts it.

Conservation of Linear Momentum - The quantity called momentum that characterizes motion in an
isolated collection of objects never changes under the conservation of linear momentum; that is, the
overall momentum of a system remains constant. Momentum is defined as the force required to bring an
item to a complete stop in a given length of time when its mass is multiplied by its velocity.

Elastic Collision - An elastic collision exhibits both momentum and kinetic energy conservation. This
means that no diffusive force is at work during the collision, and that all of the kinetic energy of the
objects before to the impact is retained.

Perfectly Inelastic Collision - The most severe sort of inelastic collision is a perfectly inelastic collision,
also known as a completely inelastic collision, in which the greatest amount of kinetic energy is lost after
contact. Despite the fact that kinetic energy is lost in these collisions, momentum is retained, and
momentum equations can be used to explain how the system's components act.

Objectives
- The objective is to compute and find the elastic collision and the perfectly elastic collision.
Procedures and Set-up

-
 Data and Result (with calculations)
Initial Initial Final Final Total Total
Initial Initial Final Final
Moment Moment Moment Moment Initial Final
Mass A Mass B Velocity of Velocity Velocity of Velocity
um of um of um of um of Moment Moment
(ma) (mb) mass A of mass mass A of mass
mass A mass B mass A mass B um um
(va) B (vb) (va) B (vb)
(pa) (pb) (p’a) (p’b) (pa+ pb) (p’a + p’b)
kg kg m/s m/s Kg Kg m/s m/s Kg Kg Kg Kg
m/s m/s m/s m/s m/s m/s

0.5 1.5 1 0 -0.25 0.75

0.5 1.5 1 -0.44 -0.58 0.42

2.6 1.5 3.25 0.48 3.01 5.51

2.6 1.2 1.39 -3.43 -3.59 3.61

2.6 2.6 1.20 -2.37 -6.16 3.12

COMPUTATION:
 Total Total
Initial Final
Initial Final Initial Final
Mass A Mass B Velocity Velocity Total Total
Velocity of Velocity of Momentu Momentu
(ma) (mb) of mass B of mass B Initial KE Final KE
mass A (va) mass A (va) m m
(vb) (vb)
(pa+ pb) (p’a + p’b)
kg kg m/s m/s m/s m/s Kg Kg J J
m/s m/s

Elastic Collision

1.5 1.5 1 0 0 1.00

0.5 1 2 -0.48 -1.31 1.17

Perfectly Inelastic Collision

1.5 1.5 1 0 0.50 0.50

0.5 1 2 -0.48 0.35 0.35

COMPUTATION:
Analysis and interpretation

Conclusion and recommendation

References

(1) Conservation laws. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/conser.html
(2) Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Conservation of linear momentum. Encyclopædia
Britannica. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/science/conservation-of-
linear-momentum
(3) Jones, A. Z. (2019, October 12). Perfectly inelastic collisions: More perfect than just inelastic.
ThoughtCo. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://www.thoughtco.com/perfectly-inelastic-
collision-2699266
(4) Elastic and Inelastic Collisions. Elastic and inelastic collisions. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022,
from http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/elacol.html