RUNNING HEAD: VIDEO ANALYSIS OF MOMENTUM AND IMPULSE 1

Article Summary III

Using Video Analysis to Find Momentum and Impulse

Daniel Gigi, Alen Jomon, Shahid Khan

September 19th, 2019

Dr. Psaker
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Abstract

This article details a study conducted, which though its results were unsatisfactory, the

methodology it introduced is valuable to our potential project idea. The study presents the use of

Tracker software as a pedagogical tool (intended for teaching) for conducting experiments by

means of video-based analysis. Video-based analysis can provide a better visualization of motion

for a direct inspection, has the possibility to provide a better way of visualizing the motion than

direct inspection. Modern high-speed cameras capable of producing more than 1000 frames per

second (fps) make this possible. The tracker provides the ability to present force versus time

curves, in which the magnitude of a linear impulse can be analyzed. This Tracker program

combined with a high-frame camera would allow us to accurately measure the changes in

measurable quantities such as force, momentum, etc. during the magnetically induced motion of

our vehicle.
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Materials and Methods

In this article, the authors explain that video analysis is a more effective method of

collecting data for values such as momentum and impulse. They also say that there is software

commercially available for free in order to analyze the footage and calculate instantaneous

position, speed, and acceleration. This method is more cost effective than buying sensors and

other tools often used in a physics classroom or other experiments. The authors analyze three

different collisions on a frictionless air track. The first collision is between a moving glider and a

stationary glider. The next collision was between two gliders while each had a steel spring exert

force on the other. The last collision was between two gliders with Velcro on the bumpers, which

caused the gliders to stick together. These trials were video recorded and then fed into the

analysis software. This software can be highly accurate, because it can take inputs of video

footage of up to more than 1000 frames per second, which allows for many more data points,

allowing for better calculations for energy and change in momentum as the collision occurs.

While the authors were trying to create an elastic collision between the gliders, they were unable

to do so, but an important piece of information to take from this experiment is that video analysis

software is a very cost effective and efficient way of measuring data and values such as energy

and momentum under ideal conditions.

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Analysis

With the current understanding of our project, we have concluded that we need some

form of high-speed data collection to predict the momentum of our electromagnetic rocket,

which we hope to work on. According to the article, video analysis through the free software

“Tracker” has the capability to graphically represent momentum and impulse, concepts crucial to

the success of our project, in real-time. Since the experiment the authors conducted was not an

isolated system, both momentum and energy were not conserved in the system, which means that

there was either an external force or a transformation in energy after the collision, which we can

expect to deal with also our electromagnetic rocket because of all the external forces involved,

ie: magnetic force, gravity, and electric force. However, we hope to possibly use this software

for our data collection and analysis.

Figure 1. The graphs above details the velocity, momentum, and force versus time graph of the
elastic collision experiment where the two gliders collided with a spring. However, the system
had a 99.8% loss in energy and experienced a greater final momentum than initial momentum.
This is due to an experimental error rather than a fault of the video-analysis.
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References

Kholida, L., & Latief, F. (2018). Investigation of Linear Momentum and Impulse Using Video

Analysis. Retrieved September 15, 2019, from: https://www.atlantis-

press.com/proceedings/icei-17/25892922