EXPERIMENT NO.

COLLISION AND CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the experiment, the student will be able to:

1. Determine the total momentum of the two masses before and after the collision.
2. Compare the momentum of the two masses before and after the collision.

THEORY

The momentum of the moving mass 𝒎 with a velocity 𝒗 can be represented

mathematically as:

𝒑 = 𝑚𝒗

Momentum is defined as a vector quantity as it is the product of mass (scalar) with

a velocity (vector). Internal forces cannot change the momentum of the system as it is the
forces exerted between particles. If external forces acting on the system then total
momentum can change.
When in two (2) objects, the forces on them exert on each other are internal to the
system then momentum is conserved. If the initial momentum of the objects one (1) and
two (2) stand for the internal momenta of two particles, and final momentum of objects
one (1) and two (2) stand their final momenta after the collision, then mathematically it
can be expressed as:

𝒑1𝑖 + 𝒑2𝑖 = 𝒑1𝑓 + 𝒑2𝑓

The above equation indicates that the momentum of both masses are conserved.
In this experiment one dimensional collision will only be manifested from the three
collisions situations which will be introduced. Alongside with the experiment is neglecting
other factors affecting the linear motion of the objects as it moves towards each other and
colliding.
In the case of the three situations of the experiment, velocities of the two objects
will be determined before and after the collision. The velocity will be determined by
measuring the elapsed time for the glider to travel some known distance.

EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS

air track three gliders with equal masses meter stick

timers meter stick triple beam balance
masking tape

PROCEDURE

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A. Preliminaries

1. Determine the mass of the three gliders and assigned each as mass 1, mass 2, and
mass 3. The mass 1 should be essentially the as the masses 2. Mass 3 should greater
than mass 1. Record the data in Table 1.

2. Use masking tape to mark the fixed path on the air track. Leave center as unmark as
collision possibly happen in it. Leave a distance slightly longer than the sum of the lengths
of the gliders so that the trace of them while moving on the air track is visible enough to
observe. Use as much of the remaining track on either side of the center as possible for
the marked paths. Place the masking tape low enough on the air track for the gliders to
clear the tape while moving. Measure the distance marks 1 and 2 and record in Table 1.
Also, measure the distance between marks 3 and 4 and record in Table 1.

3. For collisions 1 and 2, it involves moving of a glider with another glider in at rest. For
them, attempt to repeat the collision several times at the same initial velocity. Practice by
launching the glider for five (5) or six (6) times, starting a timer as the glider is released
and stopping the timer when the glider has gone the length of the track.

B. Collision 1

1. These collisions will be between gliders 1 and 2 having the same mass with mass 2
initially at rest in the center of the air track. Glider 1 will collide with glider 2 and essentially
stop, and glider 2 will move in the direction of glider 1 was moving before the collision.
Launch glider 1, start a timer as it passes mark 1, and stop the timer when it passes mark
2. After the collision, start a second timer when glider 2 passes mark 3 and stop the timer
when it passes to ark 4. Record the data collected in Table 2 as time interval between
marks 1 and 2; and as time interval between marks 3 and 4. Repeat the procedure four
(4) times to complete the five (5) trials.

2. Calculate the velocities from 𝑣 = 𝑑/∆𝑡 for each of the measured time intervals and
distances. Let velocities to the right be positive and velocities to the left be negative.
Record these calculated valued in Table 3.

3. Calculate the momentum of each glider before and after the collision. Let the momenta
to the right be positive and momenta to the left be negative. Record the calculated
momenta of the two gliders then record in Table 3.

4. For collision 1, compare the percentage difference of the momentum of the glider 1
before the collision to the momentum of the glider 2 after the collision.

C. Collision 2

Page 2 of 15
1. These collisions will be between gliders 1 and 3 with different masses. Glider 3 has
greater mass than glider 1. Glider 3 is at rest in which moving glider 1 will rebound to it
after the collision moving back past mark 2 and then mark 1. Launch glider 1 and start
timer when it passes through mark 1 and stop the timer when it passed mark 2. Record
this in Table 4 as time interval between marks 1 and 2. After the collision glider 1 will
rebound to glider 3 and glider 3 will move in the direction of glider 1 (before the collision).
Timer will start to measure the elapsed time of glider 3 between marks 3 and 4, and timer
will also start to measure the elapsed time for glider 1 as it moves back passing marks 2
and 1. Record the time interval between marks 1 and 2 (before the collision) in which
glider 1 experienced, time interval between marks 2 and 1 (after the collision) in which
glider 1 experienced, and time interval between marks 3 and 4 (after the collision) in which
glider 3 experienced in Table 4.

2. Calculate the velocities from 𝑣 = 𝑑/∆𝑡 for each of the measured time intervals and
distances. Let velocities to the right be positive and velocities to the left be negative.
Record these calculated valued in Table 5.

3. Calculate the momentum of each glider before and after the collision. Let the momenta
to the right be positive and momenta to the left be negative. Record the calculated
momenta of the two gliders then record in Table 5.

4. For collision 2, calculate the total momentum of both gliders before and the total
momentum of both gliders after the collision. Then calculate the percentage difference in
the total momentum before the collision and the total momentum after the collision.
Record the data in Table 5.

D. Collision 3

1. Collisions 3 will be between gliders 1 and 2 both launched in both ends of the air track
with velocities approached each other for collision at the center of the air track. Launch
glider 1 after glider 2 for them to collide at the center of the air track. Both gliders must
rebound after the collision in which glider 1 will move the same direction of glider 2 after
the collision. Similarly, glider 2 will move the same direction of glider 1 before the collision.
Set the timers to determine the time interval between marks 1 and 2 where glider 1 passed
through before the collision. Same way, set the timer to determine the time interval
between marks 4 and 3 where glider 2 passed through before the collision. After collision,
determine also the time interval between marks 2 and 1 where glider 1 passed through
after the collision. Likewise, take the time interval between marks 3 and 4 where glider 2
passed through after the collision. Record all the data gathered in Table 6.

2. Calculate the velocities from 𝑣 = 𝑑/∆𝑡 for each of the measured time intervals and
distances. Let velocities to the right be positive and velocities to the left be negative.
Record these calculated valued in Table 7.

Page 3 of 15
3. Calculate the momentum of each glider before and after the collision. Let the momenta
to the right be positive and momenta to the left be negative. Record the calculated
momenta of the two gliders then record in Table 7.

4. For collision 3, calculate the total momentum of both gliders before and the total
momentum of both gliders after the collision. Then calculate the percentage difference in
the total momentum before the collision and the total momentum after the collision.
Record the data in Table 7

Formula

Velocity:
𝑑
𝑣=
∆𝑡

where: 𝑑 – distance between marks

∆𝑡 – time interval
𝑣 – velocity

Momentum:

𝑝 = 𝑚𝑣

where: 𝑝 – momentum
𝑚 – mass
𝑣 – velocity

Percentage Difference:

|𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 1 − 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 2|
% 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 =
1
(𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 1 + 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚2)
2

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Name : ________________________ Group Number : _________
Section : ________________________ Schedule : _________
Date Performed : ________________________ Date Submitted : _________
Professor : ________________________ Rating : _________

EXPERIMENT NO. 2

COLLISION AND CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM

DATA AND RESULTS

A. Preliminaries

Table 1
Mass and Distance
𝑚1 (𝑘𝑔) 𝑚2 (𝑘𝑔) 𝑚3 (𝑘𝑔) 𝑑12 (𝑚) 𝑑34 (𝑚)

B. Collision 1

Table 2
Time Interval Data for Collision 1
Trials
Time Interval
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

𝑚1 Before ∆𝑡12 (𝑠)

𝑚2 After ∆𝑡34 (𝑠)

Page 5 of 15
Table 3
Calculations of Velocities and Momenta for Collision 1
Trials
Velocity and Momenta
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

𝑣1 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚1 Before
𝑝1 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)

𝑣2 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚2 After
𝑝2 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)

% Difference 𝑝1 and 𝑝2

Average % Difference

Solutions

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C. Collision 2

Table 4
Time Interval Data for Collision 2
Trials
Time Interval
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

𝑚1 Before ∆𝑡12 (𝑠)

𝑚1 After ∆𝑡21 (𝑠)

𝑚3 After ∆𝑡34 (𝑠)

Table 5
Calculations of Velocities and Momenta for Collision 2
Trials
Velocity and Momenta
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

𝑣1𝑖 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚1 Before
𝑝1𝑖 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)

𝑣1𝑓 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚1 After
𝑝1𝑓 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)

𝑣3𝑓 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚3 After
𝑝3𝑓 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)

After = 𝑝1𝑓 + 𝑝3𝑓 =

% Difference

Average % Difference

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Solutions

Page 8 of 15
C. Collision 3

Table 6
Time Interval Data for Collision 3
Trials
Time Interval
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

𝑚1 Before ∆𝑡12 (𝑠)

𝑚2 Before ∆𝑡43 (𝑠)

𝑚1 After ∆𝑡21 (𝑠)

𝑚2 After ∆𝑡34 (𝑠)

Table 7
Calculations of Velocities and Momenta for Collision 3
Trials
Velocity and Momenta
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
𝑣1𝑖 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚1 Before
𝑝1𝑖 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)
𝑣2𝑖 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚2 Before
𝑝2𝑖 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)
𝑣1𝑓 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚1 After
𝑝1𝑓 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)
𝑣2𝑓 (𝑚/𝑠)
𝑚2 After
𝑝2𝑓 (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠)
𝑝1𝑖 + 𝑝2𝑖 =
𝑝1𝑓 + 𝑝2𝑓 =
% Difference
Average % Difference

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Solutions

Page 10 of 15
D. Based on the experiment, what is the evidence of that the data exhibits conservation
of momentum?

E. In the conservation of momentum there are instances where kinetic energy is being
conserved. In three exhibited collisions, which among of them shows that kinetics energy
is being conserved?

F. What is importance in finding the percent difference of the momenta?

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CONCLUSION

Page 12 of 15
APPLICATION QUESTIONS

1. What is the definition of momentum?

2. What is the difference of momentum and collision?

3. In the air track marks 1 and 2 was measured as 1.50 m. A glider with mass of 0.5 g
takes the path of the marks at time interval of 1.20 s. Determine the glider velocity and
momentum as it passes through the given path.

Page 13 of 15
4. On the right on an air track, a glider 1 with a mass of 0.5 g moves at speed of 0.45 m/s.
The glider collided with another glider 2 with a mass of 0.5 g at rest. Glider 1 stops after
colliding with glider 2. Glider 2 moves in the direction that glider 1 is travelling. Find the
velocity of the glider 2.

5. In connection with question number 4, find the kinetic energy of the glider 1 before the
collision and after the collision.

6. In connection with question number 4, find the kinetic energy of glider 2 before and
after the collision.

Page 14 of 15
 REFERENCES

Loyd, D. H. (2014). Physics Laboratory Manual.4th edition. United States of America:

BROOKS/COLE Cengage Learning.

Zorilla, R., et.al. (2013). Statistics: Basic Concepts and Applications. 2013 edition.
Malabon City, Philippines: Mutya Publishing House, Inc.

Narzoles, A. (2014). Physics 2 Laboratory Manual. Malabon City, Philippines. Mutya

Publishing House, Inc.

Serway, R. A. and Jewett, J. W. (2018). Physics for Scientists and Engineers. Philippine
Edition. Philippines. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd.

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