SECTION I: INTRODUCTION

TITLE: Momentum, Energy, and Collisions Lab

Observe collisions between two carts, testing for the conservation of momentum.
Measure energy changes during different types of collisions.
Classify collisions as elastic, inelastic, or completely inelastic.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Computer, Vernier Dynamics Track, Vernier computer interface, Logger Pro, two
Vernier Motion Detectors two Vernier Dynamics Carts with magnetic strip bumpers and
hook-and-pile
PROCEDURE:
1. Measure the masses of the Dynamics Carts and record the values in Table 1. Label the carts
as cart 1 and cart 2.
2. Set up the Dynamics Track so that it is horizontal. Test this by releasing a cart on the track
from rest. The cart should not move.
3. Practice creating a gentle collision. Position cart 2 at rest in the middle of the track, and
release cart 1 so it rolls toward cart 2, magnetic bumper toward magnetic bumper. The carts
should smoothly repel one another without physically touching.
4. Place a Motion Detector at each end of the track, allowing for the 0.15 m
minimum distance between detector and cart, as shown in Figure 1. Connect the Motion
Detectors to the digital (DIG) ports of the interface. Set the Motion Detector sensitivity switches
to Track.
5. Open the file 18 Momentum Energy Coll from the Physics with Vernier folder.
6. Click to begin taking data. Repeat the collision you practiced above and use the position
graphs to verify that the Motion Detectors can track each cart properly throughout the entire
range of motion. You may need to adjust the position of one or both of the Motion Detectors.
7. Place the two carts at rest in the middle of the track, with their hook-and-pile bumpers
toward one another and in contact. Keep your hands clear of the carts and click. Select both
sensors and click . This procedure will establish the same coordinate system for both Motion
Detectors. Verify that the zeroing was successful by clicking and allowing the still-linked carts to
roll slowly across the track. The graphs for each Motion Detector should be nearly the same. If
not, repeat the zeroing process.
SECTION II: DATA
Preliminary Questions:
1. Consider a head-on collision between two identical billiard balls. Ball 1 is initially in
motion toward ball 2, which is initially at rest. After the collision, ball 2 departs with the

same velocity that ball 1 originally had. Disregard any friction between the balls and the
surface. What happens to ball 1? What happens to ball 2?
1. Ball 1 stays in the same place from where it hit Ball 2, Ball 2 is propelled with the initial force
of ball one and parallel to its direction, the energy has transferred from one ball to another.
2. Sketch a position vs. time graph for each ball in Preliminary Question 1, starting with
the time before the collision starts and ending a short time after the collision.

3. Based on your graph from Preliminary Question 2, is momentum conserved in this

Table 4

Mass of Cart 2: 3 kg

Run number

KE of cart 1
before collision
(J)

KE of cart 2
before collision
(J)

KE of cart 1
KE of cart 2
after collision (J) after collision (J)

.54

.24

.24

.54

.06

.015

.06

.015

.015

2.16

.54

.54

.24

.06

.06

.74

.18

.18

Bumper type

Run number

Velocity of cart 1
before collision (m/s)

Velocity of cart 2
before collision (m/s)

Velocity of cart 1
after collision (m/s)

Velocity of cart 2
after collision (m/s)

P1: Magnetic

.6

.4

.4

Magnetic

.6

.2

.1

P2: H&P

.2

.1

.1

H&P

1.2

.6

.6

P3: Both

.4

.2

.2

Both

.7

.35

.35

Run
number

Momentum
of cart 1
before
collision
(kgm/s)

Momentum
of cart 2
before
collision
(kgm/s)

Momentum
of cart 1
after
collision
(kgm/s)

Moment
um
of cart 1
after
collision
(kgm/s)

Total
momentu
m
before
collision
(kgm/s)

Total
mome
ntum
after
collisio
n
(kgm/
s)

Ratio of
total
momentu
m
after/befo
re

12

12

10

10

24

24:1

15

35

18

18

60

20

3:1

53

53

106

100

1.06:1

23

66

40

50

89

50

9:5

12

22

20

20

34

60

55

89

60

61

135

97

1:2

CALCULATIONS:
1. For each run, determine the momentum (mv) of each cart before the collision, after the
collision, and the total momentum before and after the collision. Calculate the ratio of the total
momentum after the collision to the total momentum before the collision. Enter the values in
Table 3.
2. For each run, determine the kinetic energy ( KE = 1/2mv2 ) for each cart before and after the
collision. Calculate the ratio of the total kinetic energy after the collision to the total kinetic
energy before the collision. Enter the values in Table 4.

3. If the total momentum for a system is the same before and after the collision, we say that
momentum is conserved. If momentum were conserved, what would be the ratio of the total
momentum after the collision to the total momentum before the collision?
The ratio should be 1:1 because none is added or lost.
4. If the total kinetic energy for a system is the same before and after the collision, we say that
kinetic energy is conserved. If kinetic energy were conserved, what would be the ratio of the
total kinetic energy after the collision to the total kinetic energy before the collision? The ratio
would be 1:1 because the kinetic energy after the collision is equal to the total kinetic energy
before the collision
5. Inspect the momentum ratios in Table 3. Even if momentum is conserved for a given
collision, the measured values may not be exactly the same before and after due to
measurement uncertainty. The ratio should be close to one, however. Is momentum
conserved in your collisions?
Momentum is conserved for the most part but some of the momentum is lost because the
velocity decreases due to friction and air resistance.
6. Repeat the preceding question for the case of kinetic energy, using the kinetic energy ratios
in Table 4. Is kinetic energy conserved in the magnetic bumper collisions? How about the hookand-pile collisions? Is kinetic energy consumed in the third type of collision studies? Classify the
three collision types as elastic, inelastic, or completely inelastic.
Kinetic energy here is not conserved to the utmost extent, as you can see from the tables it
drops dramatically. Kinetic energy is consumed within the third type of collision. The three
collisions were inelastic.
Part 1 Trial 1

Part 1 Trial 2

PT 2 TR 1

PT 2 TR 2

PT 3 TR 1

PT 3 TR 2

RESULTS:
In collisions between two isolated objects Newton's third law implies that momentum is always
conserved. In collisions, it is assumed that the colliding objects interact for such a short time,
that the impulse due to external forces is negligible. Thus the total momentum of the system
just before the collision is the same as the total momentum just after the collision. Collisions in
which the kinetic energy is also conserved, i.e. in which the kinetic energy just after the collision

equals the kinetic energy just before the collision, are called elastic collision. In these collisions
no ordered energy is converted into thermal energy. Collisions in which the kinetic energy is not
conserved, i.e. in which some ordered energy is converted into internal energy, are called
inelastic collisions. If the two objects stick together after the collision and move with a common
velocity vf, then the collision is said to be perfectly inelastic. In the collision between the two

cars, total system momentum is conserved. Yet this might not be apparent without an
understanding of the vector nature of momentum. Momentum, like all vector quantities,
has both a magnitude (size) and a direction. When considering the total momentum of
the system before the collision, the individual momentum of the two cars must be added
as vectors. Since the cars have equal mass, the total system momentum is shared
equally by each individual car. In order to determine the momentum of either individual
car, this total system momentum must be divided by two. Once the momentum of the
individual cars are known, the after-collision velocity is determined by simply dividing
momentum by mass (v=p/m).
CONCLUSION:
1. Using the magnetic bumpers, consider other combinations of cart mass by adding weight to
one cart. Is momentum or energy conserved in these collisions?

Elastic collisions are collisions in which both momentum and kinetic energy are
conserved. The total system kinetic energy before the collision equals the total system
kinetic energy after the collision. If total kinetic energy is not conserved, then the
collision is referred to as an inelastic collision. A perfectly elastic collision is defined as
one in which there is no loss of kinetic energy in the collision.
2. Using the magnetic bumpers, consider other combinations of initial velocities. Begin with
having both carts moving toward one another initially. Are momentum and energy conserved in
these collisions?

An inelastic collision is one in which part of the kinetic energy is changed to some other
form of energy in the collision. Any macroscopic collision between objects will convert
some of the kinetic energy into internal energy and other forms of energy, so no large
scale impacts are perfectly elastic. Momentum is conserved in inelastic collisions, but
one cannot track the kinetic energy through the collision since some of it is converted to
other forms of energy.
Collisions between objects are governed by laws of momentum and energy. When a
collision occurs in an isolated system, the total momentum of the system of objects is
conserved. Provided that there are no net external forces acting upon the objects, the
momentum of all objects before the collision equals the momentum of all objects after

the collision. If there are only two objects involved in the collision, then the momentum
change of the individual objects are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
Certain collisions are referred to as elastic collisions. Elastic collisions are collisions in
which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. The total system kinetic
energy before the collision equals the total system kinetic energy after the collision. If
total kinetic energy is not conserved, then the collision is referred to as an inelastic
collision.