Conservation of Momentum EX-9901

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1Conservation of Momentum
EQUIPMENT 1 & & & 1 1 1 1 INCLUDED: &.& m P-#car .ynamics #ystem .ynamics )rac( Mount +M#2I.# -dapters +otary Motion #ensors E,periment +esources *. NOT INCLUDED, BUT REQUIRED: Mass 5alance ScienceWorkshop 617 Interface .ata#tudio #oftware ME'/01/ *I'//0& ME'/1/0 *I'/138 E4'00&& #E'86&3 *I'6/17 *I'/867

INTRODUCTION Elastic and inelastic collisions are performed with two dynamics carts of different masses. Magnetic bumpers are used in the elastic collision and Velcro bumpers are used in the completely inelastic collision. In both cases, momentum is conser ed.

!igure 1"

#etup $%ote" 1.&'m trac( is pictured. )he &.&'m trac( has le eling feet as shown in !igure &.

*art elocities are recorded using two +otary Motion #ensors connected to the carts by string wrapped around pulleys. )his measurement method adds ery little friction to the e,periment and, since the elocities are continuously monitored, any deceleration due to friction can be measured. )he total (inetic energy before and after the collision is also studied.
Written by Ann Hanks

Conservation of Momentum EX-9901

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THEOR )he momentum of a cart depends on its mass and elocity.

Momentum = p =mv

$18

)he direction of the momentum is the same as the direction of the elocity. .uring a collision, the total momentum of the system of both carts is conser ed because the net force on the system is 9ero. )his means that the total momentum :ust before the collision is e;ual to the total momentum :ust after the collision. If the momentum of one cart decreases, the momentum of the other cart increases by the same amount. )his is true regardless of the type of collision, and e en in cases where (inetic energy is not conser ed. )he law of conser ation of momentum is stated as p !ota "eforeCo ision = p !ota AfterCo ision $&8 )he (inetic energy of a cart also depends on its mass and elocity but (inetic energy is a scalar.
#E = 1 mv & &

$38

)he total (inetic energy of the system of two carts is found by adding the (inetic energies of the indi idual carts. !ETUP 1. &. <e el the trac( using the le eling screws on the trac( feet. =hen you place a cart at rest on the trac(, it should not mo e. >se the setup shown in !igure 1. >se one red and one blue cart so it is easy to distinguish between the carts. -ttach a line of thread to each cart using the string brac(et $see !igure 38. +un the thread o er the largest pulley on the +otary Motion #ensor and then o er the small pulley on the other end of the trac(, then return to the string brac(et on the cart $see !igure ?8. )he thread should not be too tight@ :ust tight enough so the +otary Motion #ensor pulley will turn when the cart mo es.

Written by Ann Hanks

Conservation of Momentum EX-9901

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!igure &" &.&'m )rac( with <e eling !eet !igure 3" *onnecting thread to the cart

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Conservation of Momentum EX-9901

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!igure ?" )hreading the pulleys

3. ?.

+un .ata#tudio on the computer and open the file called AMomentumA. Plug the +otary Motion #ensor attached to the red cart into *hannels 1 and & on the 617 interface and plug the +otary Motion #ensor attached to the blue cart into *hannels 3 and ? on the interface. +e ersing the yellow and blac( plugs will change the direction of positi e elocity.

PROCEDURE

I"
&"

E#$%osions
E'ua% Mass Carts

1. &. 3. ?.

>se the balance to find the mass of each cart. Include the string brac(et on each cart. !ully depress the plunger on one cart. .oes it matter which cart has its plunger depressedB Place the two carts on the trac( so that they are in contact with each other. *lic( on #)-+) on the computer and tap the trigger release to launch the carts. *lic( on #)CP.

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Conservation of Momentum EX-9901

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1.

>sing the elocity s. time graph on the computer, find the elocity of the red cart :ust after the e,plosion. If you clic( and drag on a dot to highlight it, that data point will be highlighted in the table. )his is easier than trying to read the elocity off the graph. -lso, it might be helpful to e,pand the graph, to see :ust that area you are interested in. +epeat step 1 to find the elocity of the blue cart after the collision. *alculate the momentum of each cart after the e,plosion. )he total momentum of the two cart system is 9ero before the collision because they are both stopped. Dow can the total momentum of the two cart system still be 9ero after the collision if they are both mo ingB Dint" Momentum is a ve(tor. Dow do the total momenta before and after the e,plosion compareB #ince it is difficult to compare a number to 9ero, compare the momenta of the carts after the e,plosion" )hey should be e;ual and opposite to each other. *alculate the percent difference. Une'ua% Mass Carts
Endstop

/. 6. 8.

0.

B"

1. &. 3. ?. 1.

>se the balance to find the mass of two mass bars, and then place them both in the blue cart. +epeat steps & through 0 of part -. !or the une;ual mass carts, calculate the )ineti( Ener*+ of each cart after the e,plosion. .o the two carts ha e the same (inetic energy after the e,plosionB #hould theyB =here did the (inetic energy of the carts come fromB =ho pushed in the plungerB .id they do wor(B Dow muchB )he momentum for a gun and its bullet are the same, but their energies are not. =hich has more energy, the bullet or the recoiling gunB

II"

Qua%itative Co%%isions

!or each of the following collisions ma(e a A5eforeA diagram and an A-fterA diagram. #how each cart with a elocity arrow to indicate its direction of motion. -lso draw a momentum arrow for each of the carts indicating the direction and appro,imate alue of the momentum. -n e,ample is shown below. It may be useful to use the computer to determine appro,imate speeds, but you do not need to record any measurements, or do any calculations.

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-.

Qua%itative Co%%isions $continued8

>se the same mass carts with the Velcro sides toward each other so the carts will stic( together. )his is a totally inelastic collision. Eou will need to ha e the plunger depressed $see !igure 18.

!igure 1" Velcro 5umpers for Inelastic *ollisions 1. *art F& at rest, *art F1 has elocity toward *art F&.

1 5efore *ollision p1

-fter *ollision p& G 7 p1 p&

&. *art F1 and *art F& are mo ing toward each other with about the same speed. Question: If the two carts are thrown with about the same speed, the final speed of the two will be 9ero, and thus the final )ineti( Ener*+ will be 9ero. =here does the Energy goB 3. *art F1 and *art F& are both mo ing toward the right. *art F1 has a greater elocity than *art F&. 5. Place a mass bar in *art F1 and repeat the collisions from part 1 to 3 abo e.

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*. >se the same mass carts with the ma*neti( -um$ers toward each other so the carts will bounce off each other and the collision will be elastic $see !igure /8. +epeat the collisions from part 1 to 3 abo e.

!igure /" Magnetic 5umpers for Elastic *ollisions .. Place a mass bar in *art F1 and repeat the collisions from part 1 to 3 abo e.

III"
-. 5.

Quantitative Co%%isions
Perform collision F1 from Part II for e;ual mass carts. *lic( on #)-+), perform the collision, and clic( on #)CP. >sing the elocity s. time graph on the computer, find the elocity of cart 1 :ust before and after the collision. If you clic( and drag on a dot to highlight it, that data point will be highlighted in the table. )his is easier than trying to read the elocity off the graph. -lso, it might be helpful to e,pand the graph, to see :ust that area you are interested in. =hat are the initial and final elocities of cart &B Measure the mass of each cart. .onHt forget which cart is whichI *alculate the total momentum of the t.o/(art system before and after the collision. *ompare these two by calculating the percent difference.
J %ifference = pbefore pafter $177J pbefore

*. .. E.

!. K.

*alculate the (inetic energy of the carts before and after the collision. =here did the energy goB +epeat steps - through E for the une'ua% mass carts of collision F1 from Part II.

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-. 5. *.

Momentum an1 Ener*+

Cpen the program file AMomentum EnergyA. !or the une;ual mass carts, enter the cart masses $in (ilograms8 into the calculator in the .ata#tudio program. +epeat the ine%asti( collision $F1 from Part II8 for une;ual masses. =hat does the graph of total momentum loo( li(eB #(etch it in your boo(. *an you tell where the collision occurredB =hat does the graph of total (inetic energy loo( li(eB #(etch it in your boo(. !rom these graphs, can you see why we say that momentum is conser ed in a collision, e en though the (inetic energy may not beB +epeat the collision using the magnetic bumpers and answer the ;uestions in Part * abo e for this e%asti( collision.

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Con(%usion

<ist the numerical results from parts I and III in some sort of table. In general, what did you learn about conser ation of momentum and (inetic energy in different types of collisionsB

Written by Ann Hanks