Ryan Job

Partners: Frank Chapman, Hunter Cameron

Momentum, Energy, and Collisions

Objective: The objective of this lab was to observe collisions between various carts to see how much
momentum was conserved between them. We were also to measure any changes in energy during the
different collisions and then classify each collision as elastic, inelastic, or completely inelastic.
Method/Setup: A low-friction track and two carts were supplied. Each cart had an end with a magnet,
the other end had Velcro. On the cart we labeled as cart 2, there was a plunger as well. Each cart also
had a picket fence that alternated black and clear. The carts were placed on the track, with cart 1 being
on one end and cart 2 being in the middle. Around cart 2 were two photogates which were used to
detect the velocity of the carts.
For the first three types of collisions (magnet to magnet, Velcro to Velcro, and magnet to Velcro) cart 1
was pushed into cart 2 and their velocities before and after the collision were recorded. For the final
collision (explosion) the carts were both in the middle and the plunger on cart 2 was released, which hit
cart 1 and both carts started moving, but in opposite directions. Each collision was then redone, only
adding extra mass to cart 2.
Data: In the trials with no added mass, the mass of each cart was 0.525 kg. The velocities were
calculated by Vernier Graphical Analysis. The momentum of each cart was determined by multiplying
the velocity of the cart by its mass. The kinetic energies for each cart was determined by using the
formula KE = mv2 where KE is the kinetic energy of the cart, m is the mass, and v is the velocity.

Initial and Final Velocities No Added Mass

Run
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Bumper
Type
mag-mag
mag-mag
vel-vel
vel-vel
mag-vel
mag-vel
Explosion
Explosion

Initial Vel. of Cart 1 Initial Vel. of Cart

(m/s)
2 (m/s)
0.3859
0
0.8962
0
0.4929
0
0.5406
0
0.6651
0
0.5648
0
0
0
0
0

Final Vel. of Cart 1 Final Vel. of Cart 2

(m/s)
(m/s)
0
0.3663
0
0.7597
0.1852
0.2194
0.223
0.2503
0.1465
0.503
0.09472
0.4483
-0.2884
0.3511
-0.1296
0.2112

Initial and Final Momentums No Added Mass

Initial
Run
Momentum
Number of Cart 1
1
0.2026
2
0.4705
3
0.2588
4
0.2838
5
0.3492
6
0.2965
7
0.0000
8
0.0000

Initial
Momentum
of Cart 2
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000

Final
Momentum
of Cart 1
0.0000
0.0000
0.0972
0.1171
0.0769
0.0497
-0.1514
-0.0680

Final
Momentum
of Cart 1
0.1923
0.3988
0.1152
0.1314
0.2641
0.2354
0.1843
0.1109

Total Initial
Momentum
0.2026
0.4705
0.2588
0.2838
0.3492
0.2965
0.0000
0.0000

Total Final Ratio of

Momentum Momentum
0.1923
0.9492
0.3988
0.8477
0.2124
0.8209
0.2485
0.8755
0.3410
0.9765
0.2851
0.9614
0.0329
#DIV/0!
0.0428
#DIV/0!

Ryan Job

Partners: Frank Chapman, Hunter Cameron

Initial and Final Kinetic Energies No Added Mass

Run
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Initial KE of Initial KE of Final KE of

Cart 1
Cart 2
Cart 1
0.0391
0.0000
0.0000
0.2108
0.0000
0.0000
0.0638
0.0000
0.0090
0.0767
0.0000
0.0131
0.1161
0.0000
0.0056
0.0837
0.0000
0.0024
0.0000
0.0000
0.0218
0.0000
0.0000
0.0044

Final KE of
Cart 2
0.0352
0.1515
0.0126
0.0164
0.0664
0.0528
0.0324
0.0117

Total
Initial KE
0.0391
0.2108
0.0638
0.0767
0.1161
0.0837
0.0000
0.0000

Total Final Ratio of

KE
Momentum
0.0352
0.9010
0.1515
0.7186
0.0216
0.3393
0.0295
0.3845
0.0720
0.6205
0.0551
0.6581
0.0542
#DIV/0!
0.0161
#DIV/0!

The mass of cart 1 remains the same in the second part of this lab. The mass of cart 2 is increased to
1.058 kg. All calculations were done in the same manner.

Initial and Final Velocities Added Mass

Run
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Bumper
Type
mag-mag
mag-mag
vel-vel
vel-vel
mag-vel
mag-vel
Explosion
Explosion

Initial Vel. of Cart 1 Initial Vel. of Cart

(m/s)
2 (m/s)
0.9923
0
0.5512
0
0.6822
0
0.8782
0
0.7969
0
0.4671
0
0
0
0
0

Final Vel. of Cart 1 Final Vel. of Cart 2

(m/s)
(m/s)
-0.1594
0.5748
-0.1656
0.345
0.2194
0.2194
0.2785
0.2785
0.2571
0.2571
0.144
0.144
-0.419
0.2151
-0.3437
0.1544

Initial and Final Kinetic Energies Added Mass

Initial
Run
Momentum
Number of Cart 1
1.0000
0.5210
2.0000
0.2894
3.0000
0.3582
4.0000
0.4611
5.0000
0.4184
6.0000
0.2452
7.0000
0.0000
8.0000
0.0000

Initial
Momentum
of Cart 2
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000

Final
Momentum
of Cart 1
-0.0837
-0.0869
0.1152
0.1462
0.1350
0.0756
-0.2200
-0.1804

Final
Momentum
of Cart 2
0.6081
0.3650
0.2321
0.2947
0.2720
0.1524
0.2276
0.1634

Total Initial
Momentum
0.5210
0.2894
0.3582
0.4611
0.4184
0.2452
0.0000
0.0000

Total Final Ratio of

Momentum Momentum
0.5245
1.0067
0.2781
0.9609
0.3473
0.9697
0.4409
0.9562
0.4070
0.9728
0.2280
0.9296
0.0076
#DIV/0!
-0.0171
#DIV/0!

Ryan Job

Partners: Frank Chapman, Hunter Cameron

Initial and Final Kinetic Energies Added Mass

Run
Number
1.0000
2.0000
3.0000
4.0000
5.0000
6.0000
7.0000
8.0000

Initial KE of Initial KE of Final KE of

Cart 1
Cart 2
Cart 1
0.2585
0.0000
0.0067
0.0798
0.0000
0.0072
0.1222
0.0000
0.0126
0.2024
0.0000
0.0204
0.1667
0.0000
0.0174
0.0573
0.0000
0.0054
0.0000
0.0000
0.0461
0.0000
0.0000
0.0310

Final KE of
Cart 2
0.1748
0.0630
0.0255
0.0410
0.0350
0.0110
0.0245
0.0126

Total
Initial KE
0.2585
0.0798
0.1222
0.2024
0.1667
0.0573
0.0000
0.0000

Total Final Ratio of

KE
Momentum
0.1814
0.7020
0.0702
0.8798
0.0381
0.3119
0.0614
0.3032
0.0523
0.3138
0.0164
0.2866
0.0706
#DIV/0!
0.0436
#DIV/0!

The graphs comparing the final and initial kinetic energies of the carts shows how elastic a collision is.
The higher the slope of the line is, the more elastic the collision is. The graph comparing the final and
initial momentums shows how much momentum was conserved from the collision
Final KE vs. Initial KE of the Carts (mag-mag)

Total Final KE (J)

Total Final KE (J)

Final KE vs. Initial KE of the Carts (mag-vel)

Y=0.236x+0.004
Corr = 0.951

Total Initial KE (J)

Y=0.686x+0.007
Corr = 0.997

Total Initial KE (J)

Ryan Job

Partners: Frank Chapman, Hunter Cameron

Y=0.628x+(5.504E-4)
Corr = 0.999
Y=0.920x+0.009
Corr = 0.992

Total Initial KE (J)

Final KE vs. Initial KE of the Carts (vel-vel, with weight)

Total Final KE (J)

Final Momentum vs. Initial Momentum of the

Carts (mag-mag)

Y=0.304x+(2.748E-4)
Corr = 1.000

Total Final Momentum (m/s)

Total Final KE (J)

Final KE vs. Initial KE of the Carts (vel-vel, no weight)

Total Initial KE (J)

Total Initial Momentum (m/s)

Results: We found that the slope of the KE line in the mag-vel collisions is very low (0.236), showing that
less than a quarter of the initial kinetic energy was conserved after the collision. The mag-mag collisions
have a slope of 0.686. The vel-vel collisions with no weight have a slope of 0.628. The vel-vel collisions
with weight had a slope of 0.304. The slope of the momentum line was 0.920. In all graphs, the B value
was very close to zero and the correlation coefficient (Corr) was very close to 1, showing that the line is
very realistic.
Conclusion: We concluded that the mag-vel collisions were inelastic, as very little of the kinetic energy
was conserved. The mag-mag collisions were considered to be elastic, as over 2/3 of the kinetic energy
was conserved. The vel-vel collisions without weight added were considered to be elastic, as almost 2/3
of the kinetic energy was conserved. The vel-vel collisions with added weight were considered to be
inelastic, as very little of the kinetic energy was conserved. None of the collisions were considered to be
completely inelastic as that would imply that almost none of the kinetic energy was conserved.
The kinetic energy that appears to be lost is not actually lost because energy cannot be created nor
destroyed. It was simply converted to other forms of energy. Heat and sound were minor uses of this
energy. Most of the energy went into the Velcro, as it compressed. This absorbed the kinetic energy,
converting it into potential energy.
The slope of the momentum line was 0.920, which means that on average, 92% of the momentum was
conserved. This does not take friction into account, so there is some error in this number.