Teaching plan 5A.

1 Energy in collisions
Student Book links Specification links Links to prior learning Suggested teaching order
● 5A.1 ● 4.3.85 ● Momentum 1. Review of the concept of momentum and its
● 4.3.86 ● Kinetic energy conservation.
2. Definition and examples of energy transfer in
Learning objectives collisions.
● Explain the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions. 3. Mathematical analysis of elastic and inelastic
● Make calculations based on the conservation of linear momentum to determine energy collisions.
changes in collisions. 4. Investigation of collisions between objects.
● Derive and use the equation for the kinetic energy of a non-relativistic particle.
Key terms Practical skills
● Elastic collision ● Use light gates to measure velocity.
● Inelastic collision ● Use datalogging software in association with
ultrasound sensors to produce graphs of motion.
Maths skills Digital learning ideas
● Recognise and make use of appropriate units in calculations (C.0.1). ● Use videologging software for analysis of the
● Identify uncertainties in measurements and use simple techniques to determine uncertainty motion of objects before and after collisions.
when data are combined by addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and raising to powers ● Using spreadsheets, analyse data from the
(C.1.5). investigation to determine relationships between
● Understand and use the symbols: =, <, <<, >>, >, , ≈, Δ (C.2.1). variables.

● Change the subject of an equation, including non-linear equations (C.2.2).

● Substitute numerical values into algebraic equations using appropriate units for physical
quantities (C.2.3).
● Solve algebraic equations, including quadratic equations (C.2.4).
Pre-unit homework suggestions
● Revisit notes on momentum. Answer some conservation of momentum questions involving collisions between two objects, limited to one-dimensional
analysis.

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 Suggested starter activities
1. Demonstrate some collisions between two gliders on a
linear air track and ask students to describe any energy
transfers that they observe. Discuss conservation of
energy in this collision scenario.
2. Show an unrealistic clip of a collision from a film and
discuss why it is unrealistic in terms of conservation of
momentum and/or energy.
3. Place a wind-up (or battery-powered) toy car on a piece
of paper that is resting on a smooth desk. Release or turn
on the toy so that the paper moves backwards instead of
the toy moving forwards. Ask students to explain what is
happening.
Suggested main activities
1. Demonstrate a range of simple collisions, for example,
using a linear air track or marbles, to recap conservation
of momentum. This ensures that students can describe
collisions and find the momentum of objects both before
and after the collisions.
2. Discuss possible energy transfers that take place during
collisions, demonstrating that impacts can cause heating
and produce sounds. Use the concept of conservation of
energy to discuss whether there would be any
corresponding reduction in kinetic energy.
3. Demonstrate and mathematically analyse an inelastic
collision similar to the one in the Student Book, showing
students the steps required in calculations.
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Equipment
Linear air track apparatus, two
gliders, elastic bands or rubber
bungs
Projector or TV, film clips
Toy car, sheet of paper
Equipment
Linear air track apparatus, two
gliders, elastic bands or rubber
bungs
Squash ball, coins, pool or
snooker balls
Dynamics trolleys or linear air
track apparatus, light gates or
videologging software
Teacher notes
Vary the collision so that there are elastic bands
between the trolleys to give an almost elastic collision
(with little sound produced) and also some harder
collisions where metal parts strike other metal parts
producing a clear sound.
There are plenty of examples of unrealistic collisions in
the superhero genre. Try to find examples where
massive and rapidly moving objects collide with much
less massive objects and come to a sudden stop
without any recoil.
This links to the idea that the less massive object (the
paper) will accelerate more than the more massive one
(the toy). This leads to a discussion of the forces
involved and the conservation of momentum in this
situation.
Teacher notes
Quantitative measurements do not have to take place
here; the idea is to revise the basic concepts. A few
simple calculations should suffice.
Students should be able to recall the conservation of
momentum law and discuss how it can be used to find
the velocities of objects after collisions have taken
place.
Bouncing a squash ball repeatedly will cause a
noticeable warming effect over several impacts, and
dropping metal coins will clearly produce sounds, as
will colliding a pair of pool or snooker balls.
Sample data can be collected from a video clip or you
could use the apparatus from the later investigation
(main activity 5). This also allows you to model how the
apparatus should be used.
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 4. Discuss the circumstances required for an elastic
collision. There can be no sound or increase in thermal
energy.
5. Students investigate collisions between two trolleys using
light gates or other datalogging equipment.
6. Show how the momentum and kinetic energy equations
can be combined to form an expression relating the two:
. This can then be linked to the analysis of
particle behaviour.
Suggested plenary activities
1. Drop a set of balls stacked on top of each other and
discuss what happens.
2. Use a Newton’s cradle to discuss why the collisions are
‘nearly perfectly elastic’ as the Student Book states.
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These collisions should be linked to the behaviour of
individual particles, such as those in gases or even
subatomic systems.
Dynamics trolleys or linear air The exact techniques will depend on the available
track apparatus, light gates or apparatus. All students should examine collisions
videologging software between trolleys of varying masses and different
materials at the points of collisions (for example,
modelling clay, hard surfaces, and so on).
Use this opportunity to discuss the uncertainty in
measurements of the mass and velocity of the trolleys,
and hence the uncertainty in the kinetic energy and
momentum found from calculations using these values.
Videologging software (where the speeds of the
trolleys before and after collisions can be found from
video footage) makes this investigation much more
straightforward.
The expressions in this activity become more complex
and some students will need to be led through the
steps of calculations more carefully.
Ensure that students are aware that these expressions
break down at very high speeds, such as in the CERN
accelerators, so some simplification is taking place.
Equipment Teacher notes
Football, tennis ball, small bouncy The impact should cause the smallest ball to bounce
ball really high (at a much greater speed than it was
travelling at just before the impact). It has gained
kinetic energy from the other two balls.
Newton’s cradle There should be an audible click as the spheres
collide, showing energy dissipation indicating that the
collisions are not fully elastic.
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 3. Display images of cloud chamber tracks showing particle Cloud chamber images of The curvature of the tracks is linked to the momentum
collisions and discuss how the curvature of the tracks is collisions or particle production and in many illustrations this curvature can be seen to
related to the momentum of the particles. change over the length of the track, showing a
reduction in speed. Discuss whether the collisions
shown are elastic or not.
Homework suggestions
● Use data collected in the collision experiments to determine if there is a greater or lesser loss of kinetic energy when the difference in the masses of the
two trolleys is larger.
● Answer the questions in the Student Book.
Wider reading
● Students can research the techniques used to limit the forces experienced during collisions and dissipate energy, such as crumple zones and air bags.
Support ideas
● A thorough recap of momentum calculations and the logical stages in tackling questions will prove useful. A methodical approach will allow the students
to succeed in what can be a long series of simple calculations.
Extension ideas
● Students can study how the mass of a particle can change with its velocity (at relativistic speeds) and discuss how this would affect the relationships
between kinetic energy, momentum and velocity.
Potential misconceptions
● The differences between the conservation laws can be confusing (momentum is always conserved and total energy is always conserved, but kinetic
energy is not).
Links to future learning
● Impulse
● Momentum in two dimensions
Notes

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