Conservation Laws and C

Length of the shutter plate 10 cm

Masses of the carts 0.383 Kg and 0.38

Estimation of error due to friction and unlevel track

Time recorded by two photogates for a moving cart

Estimated error in velocity for a cart moving through two photogates

Estimated error in total momentum for two carts moving through two photogates

Estimated error in total kinetic energy for two carts moving through two photogates

PART – A (Momentum and energy conservation in elastic collision when one cart

Velocity v2 Velocity v'1

S. N. Mass m1 (kg) Mass m2 (kg) Velocity v1 (m/s)
(m/s) (m/s)
1 0.393 0.39 0.613
2 0.413 0.41 0.585
3 0.413 0.39 0.588
4 0.413 0.489 0.578
5 0.483 0.539 0.526

Total Momentum Total Kinetic Energy

S. N. Before Difference (in %) Before
After Collision After Collision
Collision Collision
pB = p1 – p2 pA = – p'1 + p'2 (pB – pA)*100/pB KB = K 1 + K 2 KA = K'1 + K'2
1 0.241 0.230 4.3 0.074 0.068
2 0.242 0.230 4.6 0.071 0.065
3 0.243 0.224 7.8 0.071 0.064
4 0.239 0.243 -1.8 0.069 0.060
5 0.254 0.247 2.6 0.067 0.057
PART – B (Momentum and energy conservation in elastic collision when bot

Velocity v2 Velocity v'1

S. N. Mass m1 (kg) Mass m2 (kg) Velocity v1 (m/s)
(m/s) (m/s)
1 0.393 0.390 0.490 -0.568 -0.503
2 0.413 0.41 0.543 -0.515 -0.446
3 0.413 0.39 0.637 -0.690 -0.588
4 0.413 0.489 0.637 -0.526 -0.532
5 0.483 0.539 0.714 -0.546 -0.510

Change in momentum Total Kinetic Energy

S. N. Difference (in %) Before
For cart 1 For cart 2 After Collision
Collision
p1 – ( – p'1) p2 – ( – p'2) KB = K 1 + K 2 KA = K'1 + K'2
1 -0.005 -0.048 -843.2 0.110 0.088
2 0.040 -0.008 120.9 0.115 0.091
3 0.020 -0.031 254.0 0.177 0.144
4 0.043 -0.023 154.0 0.152 0.114
5 0.099 0.010 89.9 0.204 0.149

PART – C (Momentum and energy conservation in inelastic collision when o

Velocity v2 Velocity v'1

S. N. Mass m1 (kg) Mass m2 (kg) Velocity v1 (m/s)
(m/s) (m/s)
1 0.413 0.410 0.599 0.258
2 0.413 0.41 0.575 0.252
3 0.413 0.39 0.588 0.256
4 0.413 0.489 0.581 0.225
5 0.483 0.539 0.543 0.205

Total Momentum Total Kinetic Energy

S. N. Difference (in %)
S. N. Before Difference (in %) Before
After Collision After Collision
Collision Collision
1 0.247 0.220 10.9 0.074 0.030
2 0.237 0.216 8.9 0.068 0.028
3 0.243 0.215 11.6 0.071 0.029
4 0.240 0.214 11.0 0.070 0.025
5 0.262 0.225 14.3 0.071 0.025

CONCLUSION:

We recorded and verified the conservation of momentum and kinectic energy in elastic collisions and
and energy is conserved in elastic collisions but not in inelastic collisions. Errors in the experiment
track and manufacturing defect in the masses.
vation Laws and Collisions

kg

Photogate 2
Photogate 1 (sec.) (sec.) Difference
0.163 0.171 4.79 %

4.80 %

4.80 %

9.59 %

collision when one cart is stationary)

Velocity v'2 (m/s)

0.591
0.562
0.574
0.497
0.459

Difference (in %)

7.8
8.4
10.0
12.5
15.0
tic collision when both carts are moving)

Velocity v'2 (m/s)

0.444
0.495
0.610
0.478
0.565

Difference (in %)

19.9
20.8
18.5
24.5
26.9

astic collision when one cart is stationary)

Velocity v'2 (m/s)

0.278
0.274
0.279
0.247
0.233

Difference (in %)
 Difference (in %)

60.1
58.3
59.8
63.7
65.1

c energy in elastic collisions and proved that momentum

lisions. Errors in the experiment arise from friction on
ct in the masses.