School of Arts and Science (SAS)

Math & natural sciences department

Name: Mahmoud Khalifa

ID: 2019004090

Course Code: PHYS111

Lab section: 4

Exp. (7)

Conservation of Linear Momentum

Date: 18 / 11 / 2019
1. Abstract (summary) (1/4 mark):
This week you will examine the changes in motion of the constituents of the
system (two colliding carts) will arise from the internal forces between them.
You will measure the momentum of each cart before and after the collision, and
check if momentum is conserved.

2. Objective (The purpose of the experiments) (1/4 mark):

Check the conservation of momentum.

3. Background (Theory) (1/4 mark):

The conservation of linear momentum depicts that in a closed system, whenever
momentum is conserved the initial and final total momentum are equal. We will
assume that there are no significant outside forces (friction/air resistance if too
specific) present during the collisions.

For a two-object collision, momentum conservation is easily stated

mathematically by the following equation:

Before=After
' '
(m1 v 1−m2 v 2)before =(−m1 v 1 +m2 v 2 )after

By neglecting of the external forces (friction), the sum of the momentum of two
carts before the collision must be equal to the sum of the momentum of the carts
after the collision (might slightly be little different because of external forces)
The change in momentum for each cart is its mass times its change in velocity.

4. Method (procedure) (1/4 mark):

 Place two motion two motion sensors on each end of the track.
 Place two carts on the track and awayfrom each other by 50cm .
 Start by clicking run on the software.
 Launch the carts towards each other.
 Stop the test run.
 Record the peaks of the two graphs as they are the velocity before and
after collision value.
 Find the momentum before and after the collision and compare if they
are close equal or not, if the mass of both carts is 0.5kg.
 5. Data collection (5 marks):
Mass 1 and 2 equal 0.5 kg
v1of cart 1 v 2of cart 2 m1 v 1−m2 v 2 v1, of cart 1 v 2, of cart 2 m1 v 1,−m2 v 2,
0.22 0.2 0.01≈ 0 0.3 0.25 0.025 ≈ 0
0.2 0.2 0 0.35 0.42 0.035 ≈ 0
0.26 0.32 0.03≈ 0 0.21 0.22 0.005 ≈ 0
0.19 0.27 0.04≈ 0 0.35 0.33 0.01 ≈ 0
0.265 0.25 0.0075≈ 0 0.31 0.27 0.02 ≈ 0
0.39 0.31 0.04≈ 0 0.33 0.48 0.075 ≈ 0

Mass 1(1 kg) = 2 mass 2 (0.5 kg)

v1 of cart 1 v 2of cart 2 m1 v 1−m2 v 2 ,
v1 of cart 1
,
v 2 of cart 2
,
m 1 v 1 −m2 v 2
,

0.19 0.25 0.155≈ 0 0.29 0.13 0.2≈ 0

0.16 0.29 0.015≈ 0 0.30 0.17 0.215≈ 0
0.265 0.29 0.12≈ 0 0.22 0.19 0.125≈ 0
0.3 0.33 0.135≈ 0 0.32 0.28 0.18≈ 0
0.22 0.26 0.09≈ 0 0.39 0.35 0.215≈ 0
0.38 0.42 0.17≈ 0 0.27 0.25 0.145≈ 0

6. Graphs (1 marks):
7. Data Analysis (Discussion of the Results) (1 marks):
The momentum aproximately conserved as we see in the tables because the friction and the
human error , so if it closed system it will be zero.

8. Conclusion (1 marks) :
Linear momentum is conserved. Momentum p = m*v is a product of mass and
velocity. The larger the mass or faster the velocity, the higher the momentum. It
takes prolonged force to stop it. Also, if a closed system exists that is not
affected by dissipative forces, the total momentum of the system will remain. In
a collision between two objects, momentum is conserved.