Lab Report : Conservation of Momentum

By

Tidarat Boonsong No. 3

Pajaree Chalongkitcharoen No. 4

1102

To

Miss Susana Alulod

Mahidol University International Demonstration School

Academic Year 2016

Objective
To demonstrate the law of conservation of momentum.

Background knowledge:

When two or more object make a collision, something will occur between them

which is called momentum. Momentum is a vector quantity defined as the product

of its mass and its velocity at that moment of time (p=mv). Conservation of

momentum is if theres no external act on object, then the final value of momentum

is equal with the initial value of momentum, which can be written as M1 Vo1 + M2

Vo2 = M1 Vf1 + M2 Vf2. Momentum is conserved in all collisions. Collision in which

kinetic energy is conserved as well are called elastic collisions, but those in which it

is not are called inelastic. Add, because elastic collision conserved kinetic energy,

energy possessed by an object due to its motion or movement, so we will have

another equation which is 12 M1Vo12 + 12 M2 Vo22 = 12 M1Vf12 + 12 M2 Vf22. For

inelastic collision, it is not conserved kinetic energy because some of it is

transformed into other form of energy.

Procedure

Elastic collision
1. Mass the cart1 and cart2 by using the mass scale
2. Put both of the carts on the track, set the distance of

two carts far from each other 20cm.

3. Push cart1 to move forward and timer will start to

count the time before collision and stop the time when its collided by

using stopwatch.
4. Start to count the time again to record the time when

cart2 start to move after collide with cart and stop the time when it

moved 20 cm.
Inelastic collision
1. Mass the cart1 and cart2 by using the mass scale
 2. Put both of the carts on the track, set the distance of

two carts far from each other 20cm.

3. Turn the side of carts that has magnet to each other so

they can stick together when they collided.

4. Put both of the carts on the track, set the distance of

two carts far from each other 20cm.

5. Push cart1 to move forward and and timer will start to

count the time before collision and stop the time when its collided with

cart 2 by using stopwatch.

6. Start to count the time again to record the time when

cart2 start to move after collide with cart and stop the time when it

moved 20 cm.

Draw the set up

Elastic Collision

Before collision

During Collision
 After Collision

Inelastic Collision

Before Collision

During Collision

After Collision

Results

Inelastic Collision
 Before After %
M1 M2 V1o V2o Vf
collision Collision Differenc
e

517. 507. 0 cm/s 26.7 cm/s 13. 3 13,542 . 13,633. -0.67 ~

86g. 20g. cm/s 24 298 1%

Computation part:

Before collision = After collision

(M1V1o + M2V2o) = (M1+M2) Vf

(517. 86)(0) + (507. 20) (26.7)= (517. 86+507. 20) 13.3

13,542. 24 = 13,633. 298

% difference = 2(Momentum before collision Momentum after collision) x 100

Momentum before collision + momentum after collision

2(13,544. 24 137,633. 298) x 100 = -0.67~ 1%

13,544. 24 + 13,633. 298

Elastic Collision
 Before After %
M1 M2 V1o V2o V1f V2f
collision Collisio Differenc
n e

517. 507. 0 cm/s 18.7 14.3 0 cm/s 9,484. 7,405.39 24.6~

86g. 20g. cm/s cm/s 64 8 25%

Computation

Before collision = After collision

M1V1o+M2V 2o = M1V1f +M2V2f

(507.20)(18.7) = (517,86)(0) + (517.86) (13.3)

9,484.64 = 7,405.398

% difference = 2(Momentum before collision Momentum after collision) x 100

Momentum before collision + momentum after collision

2(9,484.64 7,405.398) x 100 = 24.6~ 25%

9,484.64 + 7,405.398

Analyze of Results and Conclusion

According from the results that we got, our results did not support the

momentum rules because we did some errors such as our accuracy in time and
friction. Like in inelastic collision, momentum before and after collision had a bit

different in value. That was because we might record a wrong time while we were

doing the experiment. Another factor that affected our result was friction that might

occur between the wheels of the cars and the track. In conclusion, if there were no

errors, inelastic collision did conserved momentum completely (according from our

result). Different from elastic collision, momentum before and after collision had a

big different in value. It was possible that we also made a mistake in recording time

and the effect of fiction. However, because the momentum before and after were

very different so it could be that the momentum did not be conserved. In conclude,

elastic collision did not conserved momentum (according from our result).