Physics Lab 8 (100)

Velcro to Magnetic Bumpers

Face the Velcro bumper on one cart to the magnetic bumper on the other. The carts will not stick, but they will not smoothly bounce apart either. Practice this collision , again starting with cart 2 at rest.

elastic collision

Kinetic energy is conserved.

Super elastic collision

Kinetic energy is gained.

inelastic collision

Kinetic energy is lost.

Procedure

Measure the masses of your carts and record them in your data table. Label the carts as cart 1 and cart 2. Set up the track so that it is horizontal. Place a motion detector at each end of the track, allowing for 0.4 minimum distance between detector and cart. Collect data and track to see if the motion detector can track each cart properly throughout the entire range of motion.

Velcro Bumpers

Change the collision by turning the carts so the Velcro bumpers face one another. The carts should stick together after collision. Practice making the new collision, again starting with cart 2 at rest. Click collect to begin taking data and repeat new collision.

Kinetic energy is conserved

If the total kinetic energy for a system is the same before and after collision.

Momentum is conserved

If the total momentum is the same before and after collision.

Completely inelastic

Objects stick together after collision.

Objectives

Observer 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

Magnetic Bumpers

Re-position the carts so the magnetic bumpers are facing one another. Click collect to begin taking data and repeat the collision you practiced in Step 3. From the velocity graphs you can determine an average velocity before and after the collision for each cart.