RMIT University

MANU2228_17s2-Engineering
Science

Lab 3-Momentum in Collisions

Student Name: Le Trung Kim – s3634824

Lecture: Ilya Kavalchuk

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Table of Contents
AIM OF THE LAB.....................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................3
PRE-LAB QUESTION...............................................................................................................................4
Data.............................................................................................................................................................5
Data Table...............................................................................................................................................6
Calculation..............................................................................................................................................6
Theoretical Questions..............................................................................................................................7
Risk Assesment........................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCE............................................................................................................................................11

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AIM OF THE LAB
In this lab activity, we are going to investigate the momentum of two carts before
and after they collide through real experiment.

INTRODUCTION
There are two types of collisions that will be tested in this lab:
1. Inelastic collision is a collision that the two objects collide with each other,
then they stick together and move in the same direction, the momentum is
conserved[1].
2. Elastic collision is a collision that the two objects keep moving separately
with new velocities and direction, the momentum is conserved[2].
By testing ten different combinations including change of mass and velocity of the
two carts in these two collisions, we will be able to find the momentum before and
after the collisions of the two carts. The testing process is based on linear
momentum where momentum p of the object is the product of its mass m and
velocity V:
p=mV

We suppose that the momentum is conserved after the collisions which means that
the momentum before and after the two carts collide are the same[3].

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PRE-LAB QUESTION
1. How would you calculate the total momentum for two carts that are about to
collide?
2. How will the momentum of two carts after they collide compare to the
momentum of the two carts before the collision? Why?

We need to define the type of collision that is going to occur to calculate the
total momentum for two carts.

For inelastic collision, the total momentum before the collision equals to the
product between mass m and initial velocity Vi of the moving cart. The total
momentum after the collision equals to the product between total mass of the
two carts and final velocity Vf. Based on momentum conservation law[2], we
have:
mV i=(m+ M )V f

For elastic collision, the total momentum before the collision equals to the sum
of product between mass m1, m2 and initial velocity Vi1, Vi2 of the two carts. The
total momentum after the collision equals to the sum of product between mass
m1, m2 and final velocity Vf1, Vf2 of the two carts. Based on momentum
conservation law[2], we have:
m1 V i 1 +m2 V i 2=m1 V f 1 +m2 V f 2

The momentum is conserved in the two collisions because they are isolated
system that does not have any external force acting on the system during the
experiment[2].

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DATA Run 3
0.8
0.6

Velocity (m/s)
0.4
0.2
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
-0.2
-0.4
Time (s)

Velocity versus Time Graph

: Cart 1’s velocity

: Cart 2’s velocity

The graph describes the velocity of two different carts over time from the
moment they begin to move until the collision happen and stop in run 3. In
experiment run 3, we set up an inelastic collision where cart 1 is accelerated then
collide with cart 2 which is at rest. Cart 1 begins to accelerate at time 0.3s, then its
velocity remains constant at time 0.5s. After the inelastic collision with cart 2 at
time 0.75s, cart 1 is decelerated while cart 2 is accelerated in the same direction.
After they stick together, their velocity remains constant at 0.29m/s at time 0.85s.
This is also the principle of inelastic collision where the two carts stick together
and move as one object further. The momentum in this collision is conserved:
Initial momentum=mass ×initial velocity
Pi=m1 V i=0.2523 ×0.57

Pi=0.14 kgm/s

Final momentum=total mass × final velocity

Pf =( m 2 +m 1 ) V f =(0.2523+0.2538) ×0.29

Pf =0.14 kgm/s

⟹ Pi=Pf =0.14 kgm/s

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Data Table
Cart 1 Cart 2 Before After
Velocity, Velocity, Velocity, Velocity,
Run Mass (kg) Mass (kg)
cart 1 (m/s) cart 2 (m/s) cart 1 (m/s) cart 2 (m/s)
1 0.2523 0.2538 0.46 0.34 0.53 0.31
2 0.2523 0.2538 0.97 0.39 0.28 0.28
3 0.2523 0.2538 0.57 0 0.29 0.29
4 0.2523 0.2538 0.46 0 0 0.47
5 0.5023 0.2538 0.45 0.2 0.27 0.6
6 0.7523 0.2538 0.44 0.28 0.24 0.24
7 1.0023 0.2538 0 0.74 0.27 0.35
8 1.0023 0.2538 0.39 0 0.23 0.6
9 1.0023 0.2538 0.52 0.16 0.44 0.44
10 0.2523 0.2538 0.66 0.52 0.1 1.09

Calculation
Item Momentum Before (kg*m/s) Momentum After (Kg*m/s) Difference, %
1 0.20 0.21 5
2 0.15 0.14 6.7
3 0.14 0.14 0
4 0.12 0.12 0
5 0.28 0.29 3.6
6 0.26 0.24 7.7
7 0.19 0.18 5.3
8 0.39 0.38 2.6
9 0.56 0.55 1.9
10 0.30 0.30 0

Theoretical Questions
1. In general, how does the momentum after a collision compare to the
momentum before the collision?

Based on momentum conservation law[2] and our calculation’s results,

momentum is conserved in both elastic and inelastic collision. Momentum
after a collision is the same as momentum before the collision.

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2. In which type of collision was the before-and-after difference in momentum
the least? In which type of collision was the difference the most?

In our experiment, we have run 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 are elastic collision. The

average difference of elastic collision is 2.75% in which the highest
difference is 5.3% in run 7 and the lowest difference is 0% in run 4 and 10.
While the rest are inelastic collision. The average difference of inelastic
collision is 4.075% in which the highest difference is 7.7% in run 6 and the
lowest difference is 0% in run 3.

3. What factors might cause the total momentum after a collision to not equal
the total momentum before the collision?

We assume that every elastic collision and inelastic collision are perfect
collision which means that no energy lost during the collision[4] or the
energy lost is negligible. But, they do affect our result. So that, in some run
the momentum before and after the collision could be different about 0.01-
0.02 kg*m/s.

4. For a theoretical head-on collision between two carts of equal mass and
equal speed, what is the total momentum before the collision?

The total momentum before the collision of a head-on collision can be

calculated as same as the elastic collision function:
P=m1 V i 1+ m2 V i 2
Where m1, V1 are mass and initial velocity of cart 1 respectively; m2, V2 are
mass and initial velocity of cart 2 respectively.
5. Discuss the momentum of a firecracker at rest compared to the momentum
of the firecracker after it explodes.

Consider this case under the application of the Newton’s second law about the
change in momentum[2], we have total momentum of the firecracker at rest:
Prest =m V i
Prest =m ×0=0 kgm/s (1)
While at rest, velocity of the firecracker is 0m/s
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 Total momentum of the firecracker after it explodes:
Pexplodes =m V f
Pexplodes =0 × V f =0 kgm/s(2)
After the firecracker explodes, its mass return to 0kg.
Changing in momentum:
∆ P=Pexplodes −Prest =0 kgm/ s
So the momentum of the firecracker at rest is the same as the momentum of
the firecracker after it explodes, the momentum is conserved.

6. Imagine two carts, one with twice the mass of the other, that are going to
have head-on collision. For the two carts to be at rest after the collision, how
fast must the less massive cart move compared to the more massive cart?

We have the function for initial momentum:

Pi=2 mV i1 +m V x
Where Vx is the unknown velocity of the less massive cart.
Function for final momentum:
Pf =0 kgm/ s
The two cart is stopped after the collision so final momentum equals to 0.
Apply momentum conservation law[2]:
Pi=P f =0 kgm/s
⟺ 2 mV i 1 +mV x =0 kgm/s
⟺ 2 mV i 1=−m V x
⟺ 2 V i1 =−V x
So, the less massive cart must move with twice the speed of the more
massive cart for the two carts to be at rest after the collision.
Task Name: Lab activity 3:
Risk Momentum in Collisions
Assesment
Assessor(s) Le Trung Kim 27/7/2017
:
Those at People in lab
risk:
Risk: Moderate
Process/Job Working in
Description: the lab
Task Hazards Controls Already In Place Action (Hierarchy of
Control)

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Sparklink Air Electric Special manual handling equipment PPE
shock Protective casing Engineering
Wear closed toe shoes and focus on
performing

Spark Element Electric Special manual handling equipment PPE

shock Protective casing Engineering
Wear closed toe shoes and focus on
performing

PASPORT Sharp Edge Manual handling PPE

Motion Sensor Manual Wear closed toe shoes and focus on Engineering
Handling performing
Easy to be
broken

1.2 m PASCO Sharp edge Manual handling PPE

Track Manual Engineering
Handling

GOcar Manual Manual handling PPE

Handling Pay close attention Engineering
Easy to be
broken

Super Pulley Sharp edge Manual handling PPE

with Clamp Manual Pay close attention Engineering
Handling

Hooked Mass Sharp edge Manual handling PPE

Set Manual Pay close attention Engineering
Handling
Heavy object
Electronic Electric Special manual handling equipment PPE
Scales shock Protective casing Engineering
Wear closed toe shoes and focus on
performing
Run Experiment Sharp edge Manual handling PPE
Manual Pay close attention Engineering
Handling

Equipment Sharp edge Manual handling PPE

Setup Manual Wear closed toe shoes and focus on Engineering
Handling performing
Electric
shock

Action (Hierarchy of Control): Elimination, Substitution, Isolation, Engineering, Administration,

Personal Protective Equipment

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7.

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REFERENCE

[1] B. Townsend, "The Physics of Car Collisions," 2002. Available: http://ffden-

2.phys.uaf.edu/211_fall2002.web.dir/ben_townsend/PhysicsofCarCollisions.htm
[2] I. Kavalchuk, "Week 5 Momentum," 2017.
[3] Khan Academy, "What is conservation of momentum?," 2017. Available:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/linear-momentum/momentum-
tutorial/a/what-is-conservation-of-momentum
[4] Khan Academy, "What are elastic and inelastic collisions," 2017. Available:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/linear-momentum/elastic-and-inelastic-
collisions/a/what-are-elastic-and-inelastic-collisions

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