Activity 15 Teacher Notes: Impulse and Change in Momentum PS-!

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Teacher Notes Activity 15: Impulse and Change in Momentum
Time Estimates Preparation: ! min Activity: "! min
#$%ectives
Students will be able to
use a Motion Sensor to measure the motion o# a cart $e#ore and a#ter a collision%
use a &orce Sensor to measure the #orce on the cart during a collision%
use the 'plorer ()' to record and display the velocity #or the cart and the #orce #or the collision%
use the graphs o# velocity versus time and the $uilt-in analysis tools o# the 'plorer ()' to determine
the velocity $e#ore and a#ter #or the cart in each collision%
use the graphs o# #orce versus time and the $uilt-in analysis tools o# the 'plorer ()' to determine the
impulse *area under #orce versus time curve+ in each collision%
calculate the total momentum $e#ore and the total momentum a#ter each collision%
compare the change in momentum to the impulse #or each collision%
Notes
Make sure that the impact end of the track is firmly braced so it will not slide during the
collision. Make sure that the Force Sensor is securely fastened to the bracket, and the bracket is
firmly mounted to the track.
Dont raise the Motion Sensor end of the track too high. he faster the cart mo!es, the more
likely that it may mo!e to one side or the other during the collision. " smooth but slow collision
is better than a fast, #erky one.
$f you do not ha!e the "ccessory %racket with %umpers, the e&periment can still be performed.
'ea!e the hook on the Force Sensor. (ut a small slit in a rubber stopper, and place the rubber
stopper o!er the hook. Mount the Force Sensor to the cart and create a barrier at the end of the
track for the stopper to hit. Make sure that only the stopper comes into contact with the barrier.
$f !elocity data does not correspond well to the Force Sensor data, try increasing the sample rate
of the Motion Sensor. $n the )ome Screen, press F4 to open the Sensors screen. Select the
Motion Sensor icon and select the Sample *ate menu.
&ample 'ata
he screenshot shows the +raph screen for one collision
before the Scale,Mo!e tool is used to e&pand the
hori-ontal a&is.
Introductory Physics ,ith the 'plorer ()' - .." PASCO p% 5/
Activity 15 Teacher Notes: Impulse and Change in Momentum PS-!"
.ther screenshots show and e&ample of !elocity before and after a collision and the area under
the cur!e of force !ersus time.
(ig) : *elocity $e+ore (ig) ,: *elocity a+ter
(ig) ": &tart o+ collision (ig) 5: Area under curve
Introductory Physics ,ith the 'plorer ()' - .." PASCO p% 50
Activity 15 Teacher Notes: Impulse and Change in Momentum PS-!"
-a$ .eport Activity 15: Impulse and Change in Momentum
Answers and Sample Data
Prediction
)ow does the change in momentum of a cart during a collision compare to the impulse during
the collision/
The change in momentum of the cart will equal the impulse.
'ata
Sketch a graph for one run of !elocity !ersus time and force !ersus time. $nclude units and labels
for your a&es. (See Sample Data.)
'ata Ta$le
Item Mass
/0g1
*elocity2 $e+ore
/m3s1
*elocity2 a+ter
/m3s1
Momentum2 $e+ore
/0g4m3s1
Momentum2 a+ter
/0g4m3s1
1 0.221 0.66 -0.59 0.146 -0.130

/
0
5
Calculations
(alculate the momentum before and the momentum after and find the change in momentum.
(ompare the change in momentum 01 momentum2 to the impulse 0area under the cur!e2.
(alculate the percent difference of the change in
momentum 0mv2 and the impulse.
Item 5 Momentum
/0g4m3s1
Impulse
/N4s1
Percent
'i++erence
1 0.276 0.287 0.3%

/
0
5
Introductory Physics ,ith the 'plorer ()' - .." PASCO p% 55

1diff =

+
2
?
?
?
?
?
?
100%

=

Activity 15 Teacher Notes: Impulse and Change in Momentum PS-!"

6uestions
3. 4hy does the !elocity of the cart change from a positi!e !alue before the collision to a
negati!e !alue after the collision/
The positive value of velocity means that the cart is moving away from the Motion Sensor and
the negative value means it is moving back toward the sensor after the collision.
5. 4hy can you use the area under the cur!e of force !ersus time to get the !alue of the
impulse/
The area under the curve of force versus time is the product of the force and time the definition
of impulse.
6. 4hat are possible reasons why the change in momentum is different from the measured
impulse/
There is a component of gravity that accelerates the cart when it is moving down the track and
decelerates the cart when it is moving back up the track. !n one direction" friction is against the
component of gravity but in the other" friction is with the component of gravity. Therefore" there
is a small e#ternal force that changes momentum but is not measured by the sensor.
7. $n general, how does the change in momentum compare to the impulse/
!n general" the change in momentum is very close to the impulse.
8. Do your results support your prediction/
$nswers will vary.
9. he units of momentum are kg:m,s and the units of impulse are ;:s. Show how these two
units are e<ui!alent. 0)int= 4hat is the definition of the newton, ;/2
$ newton is a kg%m&s
'
. (hen this is multiplied by time measured in seconds" the product is
kg%m&s. The unit of momentum is equivalent to the unit of impulse.
Introductory Physics ,ith the 'plorer ()' - .." PASCO p% 5"