Core practical 9 Teacher sheet

EDEXCEL Physics Teacher Resource Pack 2 Investigate the relationship between the force
exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Core practical 9: Investigate the relationship between the force

exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Objective
● To determine the momentum change of a trolley when a force acts on it, as a function of time
Safety Specification links
● There are trolleys and masses in motion so ● Practical techniques 1, 2, 3, 4
students should produce a risk assessment for ● CPAC 2c, 3a, 4b
this work.
Procedure Notes on procedure
1. Secure the bench pulley to one end of the runway. ● As the title suggests, this is an
This end of the runway should project over the end investigation. You will probably do
of a bench, so that the string connecting the mass this early in the year so students are
hanger and the trolley passes over the pulley. The likely to need some help recalling
mass hanger will fall to the floor as the trolley what they did in Year 12 and
moves along the runway. The runway should be developing their own way of
tilted to compensate for friction. conducting an investigation. Some
2. Place the slotted mass hanger on the floor and students will need more training but
move the trolley backwards along the runway until you might find that some are ready
the string becomes tight, with the mass on the for assessment. To make this an
floor. Place the light gate so it is positioned in the investigation, students being
middle of the interrupt card on the trolley. There assessed for CPAC 2c should draw
should be enough space on the ramp to allow the attention to the control of variables
trolley to continue so that it clears the light gate not under investigation at that stage.
before hitting the pulley. ● This work can be carried out using an
3. Move the trolley further backwards until the mass air track or dynamics trolleys. It may
hanger is touching the pulley. Put the five 10 g be interesting to have some students
masses on the trolley so that they will not slide off. use different methods, so that they
This is the start position for the experiment. can compare outcomes. It is more
appropriate for an investigation if the
4. Record the total hanging mass m. Release the students write a plan, as they can
trolley and use the stop clock to measure the time then choose methods and apparatus.
T it takes for the trolley to move from the start
position to the light gate – this should be when the ● This is a good experiment in which to
mass hanger hits the floor. Record the time use uncertainties in support of the
reading t on the light gate. Repeat your conclusion. This involves drawing
measurements twice more and calculate mean error bars on the graph and two
values for T and t and estimate δT and δt, the further lines of fit. These are then
uncertainties in these values. used to calculate the uncertainty in
the gradient value.
5. Move one 10 g mass from the trolley to the hanger
and repeat step 4. Repeat this process, moving ● This experiment has been designed
one 10 g mass at a time and recording your to use the minimum of apparatus.
readings until all of the masses are on the hanger. You can make the following
amendments to the design:
6. Measure the combined mass M of the trolley,
string, slotted masses and hanger. Measure the - Use two light gates and measure
distance d travelled by the trolley. This should be two velocities.
the same as the distance fallen by the mass - Use two light gates, one to
hanger. Record the length L of the card. measure the two times and one
7. You can develop the investigation further by taking the time elapsed travelling from
more readings after adding an additional mass, for one gate to the other.
example 200 g, to the mass of the trolley. - Use a linear air track.

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Users may need to adapt the risk assessment information to local circumstances. This document may have been altered from the original 1
 Core practical 9 Teacher sheet
EDEXCEL Physics Teacher Resource Pack 2 Investigate the relationship between the force
exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Answers to questions
1. Use the gradients of the lines of fit and calculate the difference between them. Divide the
difference by the gradient of the line of best fit and express the answer as a percentage. The
M
computed value for should lie within the uncertainty.
g
2. Friction will oppose the motion with the result that the force acting will be reduced, and so the
velocity at the light gate will be reduced. This will make the gradient smaller.
3. By using the air track, where there is no contact but considerable air resistance. Or, trolleys can
be friction compensated by giving them a downward slope. The slope should be adjusted so
that the trolley, when pushed, runs at a constant speed. The success can be judged in part by
the percentage uncertainty in Q1.
4. Students should consider how to use the centre’s apparatus more effectively. For example,
they could discuss the use of a datalogger and multiple light gates.
5. Students may consider the kinetic energy and calculate the transfer from gravitational potential
energy as the mass falls.
Sample data
Mass of trolley, all masses (constant total), string etc. = 0.717 kg
–1
m/kg T/s v/m s mT/kg s
0.010 3.80 0.340 0.0380
0.015 2.90 0.455 0.0435
0.020 2.44 0.532 0.0488
0.025 2.17 0.579 0.0543
0.030 1.98 0.644 0.0594
0.035 1.79 0.704 0.0627
The graph of mT against v gives a gradient of 0.0713
M
Calculated value of = 0.0731
g
% difference = 2.5%

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Users may need to adapt the risk assessment information to local circumstances. This document may have been altered from the original 2
 Core practical 9 Student sheet
EDEXCEL Physics Teacher Resource Pack 2 Investigate the relationship between the force
exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Core practical 9: Investigate the relationship between the force

exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Objective
● To determine the momentum change of a trolley when a force acts on it as a function of time
Safety
● There are trolleys and masses in motion so you should produce an appropriate risk
assessment.
All the maths you need
● Recognise and make use of appropriate units in calculations.
● Use ratios, fractions and percentages.
● Use an appropriate number of significant figures.
● Identify uncertainties in measurements and use simple techniques to determine uncertainty
when data are combined by addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and raising to powers.
● Translate information between graphical, numerical and algebraic forms.
● Plot two variables from experimental or other data.
● Understand that y = mx + c represents a linear relationship.
● Determine the slope and intercept of a linear graph.
Useful equations:
● F Δt = m Δv shows the impulse of a force is equal to the change in momentum.
● y = mx + c shows why the intercept should be zero.
Equipment
● dynamics trolley or air track vehicle ● 5 slotted masses (10 g) and hanger
● runway or air track ● light gate and recorder
● bench pulley ● stop clock
● string ● metre ruler

Practical activities have been safety checked but not trialled by CLEAPSS. © Pearson Education Ltd 2016
Users may need to adapt the risk assessment information to local circumstances. This document may have been altered from the original 1
 Core practical 9 Student sheet
EDEXCEL Physics Teacher Resource Pack 2 Investigate the relationship between the force
exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Procedure
1. Secure the bench pulley to one end of the runway. This end of the runway should project over
the end of a bench, so that the string connecting the mass hanger and the trolley passes over
the pulley. The mass hanger will fall to the floor as the trolley moves along the runway. The
runway should be tilted to compensate for friction.
2. Place the slotted mass hanger on the floor and move the trolley backwards along the runway
until the string becomes tight, with the mass on the floor. Place the light gate so it is positioned
in the middle of the interrupt card on the trolley. There should be enough space on the ramp to
allow the trolley to continue so that it clears the light gate before hitting the pulley.
3. Move the trolley further backwards until the mass hanger is touching the pulley. Put the five
10 g masses on the trolley so that they will not slide off. This is the start position for the
experiment.
4. Record the total hanging mass m. Release the trolley and use the stop clock to measure the
time T it takes for the trolley to move from the start position to the light gate – this should be
when the mass hanger hits the floor. Record the time reading t on the light gate. Repeat your
measurements twice more and calculate mean values for T and t and estimate δT and δt, the
uncertainties in these values.
5. Move one 10 g mass from the trolley to the hanger and repeat step 4. Repeat this process,
moving one 10 g mass and recording your readings until all of the masses are on the hanger.
6. Measure the combined mass M of the trolley, string, slotted masses and hanger. Measure the
distance d travelled by the trolley. This should be the same as the distance fallen by the mass
hanger. Record the length L of the card.
7. You can develop the investigation further by taking more readings after adding an additional
mass, for example 200 g, to the mass of the trolley.
Analysis of results
1. The force acting on the trolley is mg and this acts for a time T. The momentum of the trolley
increases from zero to Mv where v is velocity of the trolley as it passes through the light gate.
2. Theory suggests that mgT = Mv.
L
3. Calculate v = and plot a graph of mT against v for a straight line that passes through the
t
origin. Measure the gradient and compare it with your value for M/g.
4. You can take the uncertainty in T and t as half the range of repeated readings. You need not do
it for each value of T and t, but take typical values, neither the largest nor the smallest.
 δt 
Calculate δv, the actual uncertainty in v, from the equation δv = v   , using a mid-range
 t 
value for v. Calculate δ(mT) by multiplying a mid-range value for m (for example, 30 g) and δT.
Use these actual uncertainties to draw error bars in both directions to form error boxes. Draw a
line steeper than the line of best fit (LoBF) and one less steep than the LoBF. Both of these
lines should pass through the error boxes. The difference between the two gradients of the
lines gives you the uncertainty in your gradient and this uncertainty is based on your readings.
Your value for M/g should lie between these two values if Newton’s second law is operating.
Learning tip
● Use an A4 sheet of graph paper, and make sure the scale you choose stretches your plots over
the whole page – you need not include the origin. This will make it easier to draw the last two
gradient lines.

Practical activities have been safety checked but not trialled by CLEAPSS. © Pearson Education Ltd 2016
Users may need to adapt the risk assessment information to local circumstances. This document may have been altered from the original 2
 Core practical 9 Student sheet
EDEXCEL Physics Teacher Resource Pack 2 Investigate the relationship between the force
exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Questions
1. Calculate the percentage uncertainty in your value for the gradient and comment on the validity
of your result.
2. Explain what effect friction will have on your result.
3. Describe how you reduced the effect of friction in your experiment and use your result to
comment on the success of your method.
4. Explain how you might develop the use of ICT in this experiment.
5. Describe how you might use your readings to investigate the law of conservation of energy.

Practical activities have been safety checked but not trialled by CLEAPSS. © Pearson Education Ltd 2016
Users may need to adapt the risk assessment information to local circumstances. This document may have been altered from the original 3
 Core practical 9 Technician sheet
EDEXCEL Physics Teacher Resource Pack 2 Investigate the relationship between the force
exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Core practical 9: Investigate the relationship between the force

exerted on an object and its change of momentum

Objective Safety
● To determine the momentum change of a ● There are trolleys and masses in motion so
trolley when a force acts on it, as a function students should produce a risk assessment
of time for this work.
Equipment per student/group Notes on equipment
dynamics trolley or air track vehicle Vehicle must be fitted with interrupt card with
card length written on the card. A length of
0.100 m is suitable.
runway or air track A runway should be friction compensated.
bench pulley
string Sufficient string is needed to allow the slotted
mass to fall to the floor and pull the trolley
through the light gate.
5 slotted masses (10 g) and hanger

light gate and recorder The recorder might have two inputs. The light
gate will require support from a retort stand.
stop clock Resolution of at least 0.1 s
metre ruler
Notes

Practical activities have been safety checked but not trialled by CLEAPSS. © Pearson Education Ltd 2016
Users may need to adapt the risk assessment information to local circumstances. This document may have been altered from the original
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