1

Impulse Momentum Lab

In the first part of the experiment we will examine the details of two collisions, a cart colliding
with a spring and a cart colliding with a wall. We will explore the forces acting on each object,
the impulse imparted to the cart and the change in momentum of the cart during each collision.
Be sure to discuss each question and make sure your group is in agreement on each answer
before continuing.
A We ha!e in front of us a cart on a trac" with a spring mounted at the end of the trac". #he
mass of the cart is approximatel$ %.& "g.
1. 'n the left diagram, draw the force diagram of the cart during the collision (while it is in
contact with the spring. )e sure to label each force clearl$. 'n the right diagram, draw the
force diagram of the spring during the collision (while it is in contact with the cart.
*x
+. 'f the forces $ou included in the abo!e two diagrams, are an$ of the ones in the left diagram
the same in magnitude to an$ on the right diagram, -rom .ewton/s third law, do $ou expect
an$ of them to be,
Assume the cart had an initial !elocit$ of 0&m1s (mo!ing towards the spring and no energ$ was
lost during the collision (the cart bounces off the spring with e2ual and opposite !elocit$.
3. What is the initial momentum of the cart,
4. What is the final momentum of the cart,
&. What is the change in momentum of the cart from before to after the collision,
5. 6redict and ma"e a rough s"etch for how $ou expect the force of the spring on the cart to
!ar$ throughout the collision. 7o $ou expect the force to be constant, 8xplain wh$ $ou
drew $our force cur!e the wa$ $ou did.
-orce diagram of the cart
-orce diagram of the spring
-
t
+
Let us approximate the force that the spring exerts on the cart throughout the collision b$ the
following cur!e. .ote from the t0axis of the cur!e that the collision time is 1% ms.
9. 7escribe the motion of the cart at the pea" of the force cur!e, what is happening to the cart at
that precise point,
#he Impulse (: is defined b$ the following e2uation;
: < =- dt
>. ?sing this e2uation and the plot of the force abo!e, what is the impulse gi!en to the cart b$
the spring (remember that a function@s integral has the same !alue as the area under its cur!e
and chec" $our units carefull$,
A. Bow does this number compare with the change in momentum of the cart (refer bac" to $our
answer to 2uestion &,
7o we ha!e reason to expect that the impulse gi!en to an object e2uals the change in momentum
of that object, Let us consider an infinitesimal change in momentum, dp and see what we find;
dp < d(m! since m is a constant, we can pull it out of the deri!ati!e,
dp < m d! we can multipl$ our e2uation b$ dt1dt < 1
dp < m d! (dt1dt ma"e a small rearrangement
dp < m (d!1dt dt recogniCe that d!1dt < a
dp < m a dt and with -<ma we finall$ get
dp < - dt integrating both sides;
Dp < =- dt
If we ta"e the cart to be our s$stem, we sa$ the spring, or external agent, gi!es an impulse to the
cart causing the cart to ha!e a change in its momentum. 'r in s$mbolic form, : < Dp.
% 1%
t (ms
- (.
1%%%
3
1%. 6lot the force of the cart on the spring throughout the entire 1% ms collision. #o do this, thin"
about how this should compare to the plot of the approximate force the spring exerts on the
cart (consider the plot at the top of page +. )e sure to label and gi!e the !alue for the
maximum force and the collision time.
11. 7escribe the motion of the spring at the pea" of $our force cur!e. What is happening to the
spring at that precise point,
1+. ?sing this force plot, calculate the impulse gi!en to the spring b$ the cart. Bow does this
number compare with the impulse gi!en to the cart b$ the spring,
13. ?se .ewton/s third law to explain the fact that the impulse gi!en to the cart b$ the spring and
the impulse gi!en to the spring b$ the cart should be e2ual and opposite (hint, each object is
in!ol!ed in the collision for the exact same time period.
14. Will the impulse on each object exerted b$ the other object be e2ual and opposite for A.E
two colliding objects, (Will the reasoning $ou used for 2uestion 19 change,
1&. What is the change in momentum of the spring (loo" bac" to 2uestion A. 15, What then is
the total change in momentum of both the cart and the spring,
15. What general conclusion can $ou ma"e about all collisions,
-
t
4
If we ta"e one object as our s$stem, we sa$ the other object gi!es an impulse to the s$stem,
causing a change in its momentum. If both objects are in our s$stem the total change in
momentum of the s$stem is Cero. #his is directl$ analogous to wor" and energ$ as explored in
the F2ualitati!e reasoning about wor"0energ$ processesG lab from a few wee"s ago.
19. Bow will the force plot change if we use a spring with a much lower !alue for the spring
constant, Bow will it change if we use a spring with a much higher !alue for the spring
constant, Will the force reach the same magnitude as before, Honsider how far the spring
will compress, and how strong the spring force will be. Will the collision time change, Bow
will the area under the cur!e compare to the earlier plot, 6lot the two graphs below
(continue to assume the final !elocit$ of the cart is e2ual and opposite to the initial !elocit$
or 0& m1s.
) Let us now collide the cart off a wall.
1. 7raw the force diagrams for the cart when it is in contact with the wall, and for the wall
while it is in contact with the cart.
+. 'f the forces $ou included in the abo!e two diagrams, are an$ of them the same in
magnitude, -rom .ewton/s third law, do $ou expect an$ of them to be, Bow does this
compare to $our answer for 2uestion A.+ on the first page,
In order to compare this collision with the collision between the cart and the spring, let us
consider what the wall loo"s li"e on the molecular scale.
3. I"etch a small piece of the wall as it might loo" on the molecular le!el. #he molecular
bonds can be modeled b$ springs.
%
1%
t (ms
- (.
1%%%
%
1%
t (ms
- (.
1%%%
-orce on a cart b$ a !er$ stiff spring -orce on a cart b$ a !er$ loose spring
-orce diagram of the cart
-orce diagram of the wall
&
4. Honsidering the spring constant of the molecular bonds, what do we expect the force cur!e to
loo" li"e when the cart hits the wall, In what wa$s will it be similar to when the cart hits a
spring, 6lot the cur!es for the force the wall exerts on the spring as well as the force the cart
exerts on the wall. (Again ta"e the direction awa$ from the wall to be positi!e.
&. Bow do these cur!es compare to $our cur!es for the cart and spring collision,
5. 7o $ou expect an$ of the reasoning we applied to the cart0spring collision to be different for
this case,
9. Bow will the change in momentum of the cart compare with the change in momentum of the
wall, 7oes this surprise $ou, Wh$ don/t we easil$ FseeG the change in momentum of the
wall,
>. What is the total change in momentum of the cart plus wall s$stem,
-
t
-orce of the wall on the cart
-
t
-orce of the cart on the wall
5
.ow we will mo!e to two bod$ collisions where neither of the objects is held at a fixed position.
In front of us we ha!e a trac" and two carts. #his trac" will "eep our collisions one dimensional,
and will help minimiCe friction for the carts.
H In the first scenario we will ta"e the two carts and push them towards each other with the
same speed. Make all your predictions before running the experiment!
1. Let us consider what will happen to the carts during the collision. #o help with that, s"etch a
small piece of the cart/s bumper as it might loo" on the molecular le!el. #he molecular
bonds can be modeled b$ springs.
+. What will happen to the bumper on the molecular le!el during the collision,
3. 6redict the force acting on each car b$ the other car during the collision (choose the force of
cart 1 on cart + to be positi!e.

4. 7escribe the motion of each cart at the pea" of the force cur!e. What is happening to each
cart at that precise point,
&. 6redict the !elocit$ of each cart during the time starting before the collision to after the
collision has finished.

-
t
-orce of cart 1 on cart +
t
-orce of cart + on cart 1
-
!
t
Jelocit$ of cart 1
t
Jelocit$ of cart +
!
9
In a solid, instead of referring to a spring constant, we call this propert$ the elasticit$. A lower
elasticit$ means the solid can be deformed and spring bac" to its normal shape whereas a high
elasticit$ would mean it is hard to deform the solid.
5. Would automa"ers want to ma"e a bumper with low elasticit$ or with high elasticit$, #hin"
bac" to $our answers for 2uestion A.+% on page 4. 8xplain $our answer.
We ha!e a !irtual realit$ simulation which will allow $ou to !iew this collision in more detail.
'pen the JK17ollision program and input the following !alues indicated in bold;
Left 'bject; Kight 'bject
L(m; -3 L(m; 3
J(m1s; 5 J(m1s; -5
MassM"g; ! Mass("g; !
8last(.1m; 5!!! 8last(.1m; 5!!!
Hhoose FWatchG for $our cloc" t$pe and under !iew, select object !elocit$, object acceleration,
opposite object !elocit$ and opposite object acceleration, choose the option of plotting force
instead of acceleration.
Kun the simulation and hit end when the collision has finished. #he red arrows shows the force
on each object and the blue arrows show the !elocit$ of each object.
9. Hhec" $our predictions from 2uestions 3 and & for the !elocit$ of and the force on each cart.
7o $our predictions agree, If not, can $ou account for the obser!ed beha!ior,
>. At the exact time the !elocit$ of cart 1 e2uals the !elocit$ of cart +, what is happening to the
force cur!e,
A. What is the change in momentum of cart 1, Eou can read the final !elocities off the screen.
1%. ?sing the force cur!e in the JK program, find the impulse gi!en to cart 1 b$ cart + ($ou can
clic" and drag the graph to ma"e it bigger, 7oes this agree with $our answer to 2uestion >,
11. What is the change in momentum of cart +,
1+. ?sing the force cur!e in the JK program, find the impulse gi!en to cart + b$ cart 1, 7oes
this agree with $our answer to 2uestion 1%,
>
13. What was the total change in momentum of the two cart s$stem,
7 Let us tr$ another collision. #his time we will start with one cart stationar$ and the other cart
mo!ing towards it with constant !elocit$.
1. 6redict the force acting on each car b$ the other car during the collision.

+. 7escribe the motion of each cart at the pea" of the force cur!e. What is happening to each
cart at that precise point,
3. 6redict the !elocit$ of each cart during the time starting before the collision to after the
collision has finished.


In the JK17ollision program input the following !alues indicated in bold;
Left 'bject; Kight 'bject
L(m; -3 L(m; !
J(m1s; ! J(m1s; !
MassM"g; ! Mass("g; !
8last(.1m; 5!!! 8last(.1m; 5!!!
Hhoose FWatchG for $our cloc" t$pe and under !iew, select object !elocit$, object acceleration,
opposite object !elocit$ and opposite object acceleration ("eep the option of plotting force.
Kun the simulation and hit end when the collision has finished.
-
t
-orce of cart 1 on cart +
t
-orce of cart + on cart 1
-
!
t
t
!
Jelocit$ of cart 1
Jelocit$ of cart +
A
4. Hhec" $our predictions for the !elocit$ and acceleration of each cart. 7o $our predictions
agree, If not, can $ou account for the obser!ed beha!ior,
&. At the exact time the !elocit$ of cart 1 e2uals the !elocit$ of cart +, what is happening to the
force cur!e,
5. What was the total change in momentum of the two cart s$stem,
9. What is different between this case and the case where both carts were initiall$ mo!ing
towards each other, What is the same, Is there an$thing surprising in $our results,
>. Ma"e at least 3 statements in $our own words which summariCe the ideas presented in this
lab. #r$ to ma"e them as general as possible (that the$ would appl$ to an$ collision, not just
the ones tested here.