Lesson Plan

Lesson: Inelastic Collisions

Aim: To enable the student to make graphical representation and interpretation of the two types of collision
of two moving objects on impact.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lessons, the students should be able to :

1. define and calculate the value of momentum of a moving object
2. analyze the involvement of kinetic energy during a collision .
3. sketch and use velocity-time graph for the motion of the two objects before and after collision.
4. sketch and use momentum-time graph for the motion of the two objects before and after collision.
5. define velocity-time graph
6. define momentum-time graph.

Assumed Prior Knowledge

1. Understands the basic physical and SI units for mass and velocity.
2. Able to differentiate between scalars and vectors.
3. Understands the basic concept of linear momentum.
4. Understands the basic concept of friction.

Underlying Principles

1. Illustrating a concept through visual

2. Relating a physical phenomena with graph
3. Interpreting graph

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 1

 Development of Lesson

No Steps Strategy Resources

1. • Teacher allows 2 toy cars • Electrical or
Set Induction moves along straight line friction toy car.
in front of a class.
• Teacher invites one
student to explain the
motion of the car.
• Teacher explains what
they are going to learn in
that lesson.
2. • Teacher projects • LCD projector
Student activity activities of Lesson 007 • Teacher laptop
Summary of Activity on the screen computer
• Teacher starts Activity in • Courseware
Lesson 007 by following
the instruction in the
program and follows by
questions and answers
• Teacher may invite
students to click the
buttons
• Teacher together with the
students summarize the
lesson using the
summary slide.
3. • Teacher distributes the • Printed copies
Evaluation worksheets to the of the worksheet
students
• In pairs they are asked to
complete the worksheets
• Groups selected at
random are asked to
present their work. The
other students are asked
to comment.
4. • Students are asked to • suggested
Extension activity look for further websites
information by • recommended
• 1)surfing the internet references
• 2)looking up references

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 2

 Worksheet Answer

1. (a) No. Total velocities before collision = 2 + 0 =2 m s-1

Total velocities after collision = 1.5 + 1.5 = 3 m s-1

(b) (i) Momentum of the each of the trucks : 6 kg m s-1 and 0 kg m s-1
(ii) Total momentum = 6 kg m s -1
(iii) Momentum of of each of the trucks : 4.5 kg m s-1 and 1.5 kg m s-1
(iv) Total momentum = 6 kg m s -1

(c) Yes

(d) Total momentum is conserved.

1
(e) Total kinetic energy before collision = × 3 × 22 + 0 = 6 J
2
1 1
Total kinetic energy after collision = × 3 × 1.5 2 + × 1 × 1.5 2 = 4.5 J
2 2

Conclusion : Some kinetic energy is lost. Total kinetic energy is not conserved.
The collision is inelastic.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 3