MUIDS PHYSICS 11 LAB EXPERIMENT PROJECT (QUARTER 2)

Lab 6 Conservation of Momentum

Group No 3

Members:

1.Suthida Termthong
2. Nattha, Theevarajirasab
3. Chanikan, Tangjitmungmun

Date Performed: Dec 8, 2015

Date Submitted: Dec 14, 2015

Ms. Susan Alulod

Teacher

Objective
To demonstrate the law of Conservation of Momentum
Background Information
The Law of conservation of momentum is the total momentum of a system is conserved
as no external forces acting on it. There are two kinds of collisions which is in the absence of
external forces, elastic and inelastic collision. For Elastic collision, there is no loss in kinetic
energy, in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. On the other hand, Inelastic
collision, momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is transformed.
Procedure
A.Inelastic Collision
1. Set up a Vernier carts
2. Weight a Vernier carts
3. Set the Vernier carts position, 20 cm away from each other
4. Distance travelled by cart2 before collision = 20cm
5. Have 2 people record a time and 1 person push a cart. One person pushes cart1 and other
person record a time. Stop a watch when cart1 bump with cart2
6. Second people record a time when cart1 bump with cart2 (Cart1 and Cart2 moving
together)
7. Distance travelled by cart1 and cart2 after collision = 20cm
8. Calculate V2o, Vf ,and %difference
B.Elastic Collision
1. Set up a Vernier carts
2. Weight a Vernier carts
3. Set the Vernier carts position, 20 cm away each other
4. Distance travelled by cart2 before collision = 20cm
5. Have 2 people record a time and 1 person push a cart. One person pushes cart1 and other
person record a time. Stop a watch when cart1 bump with cart2 (Cart1 stop moving)
6. Second people record a time when cart1 bump with cart2
7. Distance travelled by cart1 and cart2 after collision = 20cm
8. Calculate V2o, Vf ,and %difference

Results
A.Inelastic Collision
V = dt
Momentum before collision (Pb)= M1V1+M2V2
Momentum after collision (Pa)=(m1+m2)Vf
% different = 2(PbeforePafter)
Pbefore + Pafter *100
m1= 636.6 g m2=638.4g
1st Trail

2nd Trail

3rd Trail

t2

0.69 s

0.67s

0.66s

tf

2.03 s

2.01s

1.98s

V1

V2 cm/s

28.98 cm/s

29.85cm/s

30.30cm/s

d2

20 cm

20cm

20cm

df

20 cm

20cm

20cm

Vf

9.85 cm/s

9.95cm/s

10.10cm/s

P before

18,500.83g cm/s

19056.24g cm/s

19,343.52g cm/s

P after

12,558.75g cm/s

12,686.25g cm/s

12,877.5g cm/s

38%

40%

40%

time (s)

1st Trail
20
V2 = 0.69
=28.98 cm/s
20
Vf = 2.03 = 9.85 cm/s
P before = (636.6*0) + (638.4*28.98) = 18,500.83 g cm/s
P after = (636.6+638.4)9.85 = 12,558.75 g cm/s
% different = 2(18,500.8312,558.75)
18500.83+12,558.75 *100
= 11,884.16
31,059.58 *100
= 0.38 * 100
= 38%

2nd Trail
20
V2 = 0.67
=30.30 cm/s
20
Vf = 1.98 = 9.95 cm/s
P before = (636.6*0) + (638.4*29.85) = 19056.24 g cm/s
P after = (636.6+638.4)9.95 = 12,686.25 g cm/s
% different = 2(19056.2412,686.25)
19056.24+12,686.25 *100
12739.98
= 31742.49 *100
= 0.4 * 100
= 40%
3rd Trail
20
V2 = 0.66
=29.85 cm/s
20
Vf = 2.01 = 10.10 cm/s
P before = (636.6*0) + (638.4*30.30) = 19,343.52 g cm/s
P after = (636.6+638.4)10.10 = 12,877.5 g cm/s
% different = 2(19,343.5212,877.5)
19,343.52+12,877.5 *100
12932.04
= 32220.02 *100
= 0.4 * 100
= 40%

B.Elastic Collision
V = dt
Momentum before collision (Pb)= M1V1+M2V2
Momentum after collision (Pa)=(M1V1f)+(M2V2f)
% different = 2(PbeforePafter)
Pbefore + Pafter *100
m1= 636.6 g m2=638.4g
1st Trail

2nd Trail

3rd Trail

t2

0.58 s

0.59s

0.63s

tf

0.85 s

0.83s

0.88s

V1

V2

34.48 cm/s

33.9 cm/s

31.75 cm/s

d2

20cm

20cm

20cm

df

20cm

20cm

20cm

V1f

23.52 cm/s

24.1 cm/s

22.73 cm/s

V2f

P before

22,012.03 g cm/s

21,641.76g cm/s

20,269.2 g cm/s

P after

14,972.83 g cm/s

15,342.06 g cm/s

14,469.92 g cm/s

38%

34%

33%

time(s)

1st Trail
20
V2 = 0.58
=34.48 cm/s
20
V1f = 0.85 = 23.52 cm/s
P before = (636.6*0) + (638.4*34.48) = 22,012.03 g cm/s
P after = (636.6*23.52)+(638.4*0) = 14,972.83 g cm/s
% different = 2(22,012.0314,972.83)
22,012.03+14,972.83 *100
14,078.4
= 36,984.86
*100
= 0.38 * 100
= 38%

2nd Trail
20
V2 = 0.59
=33.9 cm/s
20
Vf = 0.83 = 24.1 cm/s
P before = (636.6*0) + (638.4*33.9) = 21,641.76 gcm/s
P after = (636.6*24.1)+(638.4*0) = 15,342.06 gcm/s
% different = 2(21,641.7615,342.06)
21,641.76+15,342.06 *100
12,599.4
= 36,983.82
*100
= 0.34 * 100
= 34%

3rd Trail
20
V2 = 0.63
=31.75 cm/s
20
Vf = 0.88 = 22.73 cm/s
P before = (636.6*0) + (638.4*31.75) = 20,269.2 gcm/s
P after = (636.6*22.73)+(638.4*0) = 14,469.92 cm/s
% different = 2(20,269.214,469.918)
20,269.2+14,469.918 *100
11598.56
= 34739.12 *100
= 0.33 * 100
= 33%

Analysis of Results and Conclusion

The Momentum before collision of Inelastic collision is 18,500.83g cm/s and the
Momentum after collision is 12,558.75g cm/s. The number of before and after collision are not
resemble. The difference of before is 38 percent.
The momentum of Elastic collision also not resemble. The Momentum before collision is
22,012.03g cm/s. The Momentum after collision is 14,972.83g cm/s. The percent difference of
before and after collision is 38 percent.
The percent difference of this experiment is not in the range of 5-10 percent. This
experiment might have an external force that exert in the vernier carts or the timer is not
accurate. So, the momentum is not conserved.

Setting up the Vernier carts