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11C ElasticCollisionsAssignment

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Ivan Perez Vivanco
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82 views

11C ElasticCollisionsAssignment

.

Uploaded by

Ivan Perez Vivanco
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Investigation 11C: Elastic collisions

Essential question: How can we predict the outcome of an elastic collision?

Elastic collisions between carts


How well can a physical experiment approximate a perfectly elastic collision? A collision between
two carts is nearly elastic, but not completely. In this experiment, you will push a red Smart Cart into a
stationary blue Smart Cart and explore how the total kinetic energy and momentum of this system is
affected by a collision between the carts, and how it compares to the simulation.
1. Attach a magnetic bumper to the front of each cart, and then set a red cart and a blue cart on a
level track with the magnetic bumpers facing each other, as shown. Adjust the track feet to
make sure the track is as level as possible.

2. Open the experiment file 11C_ElasticCollisions, and then power-on the Smart Carts and
connect them to your computer using Bluetooth.
3. Begin collecting data, gently pushing the red cart toward the blue cart allowing them to collide.
Stop recording data once carts have collided.
4. Use your software to find the velocity of each cart before and after the collision.
5. Run the experiment for different combinations of masses for the two carts (0.25 kg = mass of
empty cart) adding cart masses as necessary. Use Table 2 to record the velocities for each run.
6. Calculate the total system momentum and kinetic energy before and after each collision.
Record the values in your table and examine the table for patterns.

Table 2: Elastic collision results


Before collision After collision
m1 v1 m2 v2 ptot Etot m1 v1 m2 v2 ptot Etot
(kg) (m/s) (kg) (m/s) (kg m/s) (J) (kg) (m/s) (kg) (m/s) (kg m/s) (J)

0.25 0.25 0 0.25 0.25


0.25 0.75 0 0.25 0.75
0.75 0.25 0 0.75 0.25

1
Questions
a. Describe the velocities before and after the collision when: the cart masses are equal; the blue
cart has more mass; the red cart has more mass.

b. As a result of the collision, does the total momentum of the system increase, decrease, or
remain the same? Does the total kinetic energy increase, decrease, or remain the same?

Applying new knowledge


1. Define what is meant by an elastic collision. How does it differ from an inelastic collision?

2. A 10 kg ball moving at +3.0 m/s strikes a stationary 10 kg ball. If the collision is elastic, then what
are the velocities of the two balls after the collision?

3. A 1.0 kg ball moving at +1.0 m/s strikes a stationary 3.0 kg ball. After the collision, the two balls
stick together and move at +0.25 m/s. Was the collision elastic? Show your work and explain your
answer.

2
4. A 3.0 kg puck moving at +2.0 m/s strikes a stationary 2.0 kg puck. After the collision, the 3.0 kg
puck has a velocity of +0.40 m/s.
a. Use conservation of momentum to find the velocity of the 2.0 kg puck after the collision.

b. Was the collision elastic? Show your work and explain your answer.

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