Worksheet of Conservation of Conservation of Linear Momentum Experiment by using

PHET Simulation

Student Name: …………………………………………………………………………

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Title of the Experiment: Conservation of Linear Momentum

Objectives:
1) To study the types of Collision in one dimension between two balls by using PHET Simulation.
2) To determine the kinetic Energy and the linear momentum of each ball before and after the
collision.
3) To conclude the main difference between the elastic collision and the inelastic collision.

Apparatus: Two balls, timer and meter scale.

Theory and Background:

The general formula of Newton’s Second Law is where is the

external force acting on the object, is the linear momentum of the object and t is the time, when the
external force equal to zero the linear momentum becomes constant because dP=0, so the linear
momentum is conserved regardless to the type of collision.

Part 1: Elastic Collision – a (m1=m2):

1) Click on the following link from PHET Colorado Simulation.
2) https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/collision-lab/collision-lab_en.html

3) Click on
more data
to see
more
options.
4) Select
(Elasticity
100%) by
dragging
the blue
triangle (Δ) to the right
5) Select: m1=m2 = 2kg
6) Select: *position 1 (1m) and *position 2 (2m)
 7) Select: *v1i=2.00m/s and *v2i=0 as shown below:

Step 3

Steps: 4 5 6

8) This collision will take place between red ball (m 1) and green ball (m2) of the equal masses
(m1=m2=2kg), with (m2) initially at rest (v2i=0). The red ball (m1) will collide (m2) and essentially
stops, then (m2) will move in the same direction of (m 1) before collision.
9) Click on Play, then after collision Pause.
10) Record the values of v1f and v2f after collisin in table 1.
11) Calculate the values of Pi, Pf, Pf/Pi, Ki, Kf and Kf/Ki and record them in table 1.

Table 1
V1i V2i V1f V2f Pi = m1v1i Pf = m2v2f Pf/Pi Ki = Kf = Kf/Ki
(1/2)m1v1i2 (1/2)m2v2f2
(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (kg.m/s) (kg.m/s)
(J) (J)

2.00 0 4 4

2.50 0

3.00 0

12) Repeat the experiment for two different values of v 1i (2.50 m/s) and (3.00 m/s), keep v2i = 0 and
repeat the steps 8 to 10 and record the values into table 1.
Comment:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Part 1: Elastic Collision – b (m1≠m2):

1) Use the same link from PHET Colorado Simulation.
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/collision-lab/collision-lab_en.html
2) KEEP: (Elasticity 100%) by dragging the blue triangle (Δ) to the right
3) Select: m1 = 3kg and m2 = 2kg
4) KEEP: *position 1 (1m) and *position 2 (2m)
5) Select: *v1i=2.00m/s and *v2i=0.5m/s

6) Click on Play, then after collision Pause.

7) Record the values of v1f and v2f after collision into tables 2 & 3.
8) Calculate the values of Pi, Pf, Pf/Pi, Ki, Kf and Kf/Ki and record them into tables 2 & 3.
9) Repeat the experiment for other three different values of v 1i and v2i as mentioned in the tables 2
& 3, and record the values into tables 2 & 3.

Table 2
V1i V2i V1f V2f Pi = m1v1i + m2v2i Pf = m1v1f + m2v2f Pf/Pi

(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (kg.m/s) (kg.m/s)

2.00 0.50

2.50 0.75

3.00 1.00

4.00 1.25

Table 3
V1i V2i V1f V2f Ki = (0.5m1v1i2) + Kf = (0.5m1v1f2) + Kf/Ki
(0.5m2v2i2) (0.5m2v2f2)
 (m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (J) (J)

2.00 0.50

2.50 0.75

3.00 1.00

4.00 1.25

Comment:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Part 2: Inelastic Collision:

1) Use the same link from PHET Colorado Simulation.
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/collision-lab/collision-lab_en.html
2) CHANGE: Elasticity to 0% by dragging the blue triangle (Δ) to the left
3) Select: m1 = 3kg and m2 = 2kg
4) KEEP: *position 1 (1m) and *position 2 (2m)
5) Select: *v1i=2.00m/s and *v2i=0

Step 2

Steps : 3 4 5

6) Click on Play, then after collision Pause

7) Record the value of vf into tables 4 & 5.
8) Calculate the values of Pi, Pf, Pf/Pi, Ki, Kf and Kf/Ki and record them into tables 4 & 5.
9) Repeat the experiment for other three different values of v 1i and KEEP v2i = 0 as shown in the
tables 4 & 5and record the values into tables 4 & 5.

Table 4
 V1i V2i Vf Pi = m1v1i Pf = (m1+m2)vf Pf/Pi

(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (kg.m/s) (kg.m/s)

2.00 0 1.2 6 6 6/6 =1

2.50 0

3.00 0

3.50 0

Table 5
V1i V2i Vf Ki = (0.5m1v1i2) Kf = 0.5(m1+m2) vf2 Kf/Ki

(m/s) (m/s) (m/s) (J) (J)

2.00 0 1.2 6 3.6

2.50 0

3.00 0

3.50 0

Questions & Conclusion:

1- What is the difference between elastic and inelastic collision?

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2- Conclusion:
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