Momentum Conservation Lab Name

Physics

During the lab, you will have to split up the data analysis between the members of your group. Identify
who performed the analysis for each of the trials taken in the lab.

Trial 1: Elastic
Same Mass
Justin
Trial 2: Elastic
Unequal Mass
Morgan
Trial 3: Inelastic
Equal Mass
Nikki
Trial 4: Inelastic
Unequal Mass
Audra
Trail 5:
Action/Reacition
Equal Mass
Morgan
Trail 6:
Action/Reacition
Unequal Mass
Audra

Elastic Collisions: Use the attached data table organize the data and calculations needed to verify
conservation of momentum for the elastic collisions.


TRIAL 1 Before Collision After Collision
Object Mass
(kg)
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
p
Cart 1 .510 -.2404 -.1226
.5501
.281 .4036
Cart 2 .510 .5643 .2877
-.1194
-.061 -.3488
Total Momentum Before Collision
=
.1651
Total
Mom.
After =
.22
TRIAL 2 Before Collision After Collision
Object Mass
(kg)
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
p
Cart 1 .510 .5720 .2917
.07106
.03624 -.2554
Cart 2 1.030 -.2308 -.2377
.75
.7725 1.0102
Total Momentum Before Collision
=
.05402
Total
Mom.
After =
.80874



Morgan Crawford

Inelastic Collisions
TRIAL 3 Before Collision After Collision
Object Mass
(kg)
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
p
Cart 1 .510 .5197 .265
.3005
.1553 -.1117
Cart 2 .510 0 0
.3005
.1553 .1533
Total Momentum Before Collision
=
.265
Total
Mom.
After =
.2066
TRIAL 4 Before Collision After Collision
Object Mass
(kg)
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
p
Cart 1 0.510 0 0
0.2540
.1295 .1295
Cart 2 1.030 0.3869 0.398
0.2540
.3309 -.0671
Total Momentum Before Collision
=
0.398
Total
Mom.
After =
.4604


Action/Reaction
TRIAL 5 Before Collision After Collision
Object Mass
(kg)
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
p
Cart 1 .510 0 0
.5446
.277746 .277746
Cart 2 .510 0 0
-.5477
-.279327 -.27937
Total Momentum Before Collision
=
0
Total
Mom.
After =
-.001581
TRIAL 6 Before Collision After Collision
Object Mass
(kg)
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
v
average

(m/s)
p
average
p
Cart 1 0.510 0 0
-0.5216
-.266 -.266
Cart 2 1.030 0 0
0.3127
.322 .322
Total Momentum Before Collision
=
0
Total
Mom.
After =
.056





QUESTIONS:

1. Compare the total momentum before the collision and the total momentum after the collision
for the above trials. Which trials showed momentum conservation the best? Which trials did not
show momentum conservation very well?






2. What errors might have occurred during the lab that could have caused the momentum values
to be different than expected?






3. In the trials, you were also asked to calculate p
cart 1
and p
cart 2
? What relationship seems to
exist between p
cart 1
and p
cart 2
? What does this imply about the total system momentum
before, during, and after this particular collision?






4. Copy the graph that you created during the lab in the space provided.








Trial 4 showed it the best because their total momentums were closest to each other. Trial 2 was
the worst because their total momentum was the furthest apart.

During the logger pro part of the lab our data points we placed on the video may have not been on
the exact same spot every time which will cause our numbers to be off.