Taylor Conway

Diana Voropaeva
P2 Physics
LAB Report
SECTION I: INTRODUCTION
TITLE: Collision experiments with vectors
OBJECTIVE: To show how mass and velocity affect the outcome of a collision.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Computer
Phet Motion Application
Google Docs
Calculator
PROCEDURE:
1. Go to http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/collision-lab/collision-lab_en.html
2. Click the run now button to start the application
3. You will be starting with two balls of different masses on an elastic setting.
Predict the outcomes after collision and record your predicted outcome.
4. Find real answers after predictions and write them below in a chart.
5. Include all charts in your work.
6. Complete trials 2-3 and repeat steps above.
7. Find the Kinetic Energy of all three trials before and after collision.
8. Move onto next set of trials involving inelastic collisions.
9. Set elasticity bar to anything but 0 or 1
10. Choose your own mass, velocity, and position for the remaining trials.
11. Record all information before collision and after.
12. Complete questions at the end after trials.
13. Write out a conclusion of what you learned from the lab, be descriptive.

SECTION II: DATA

DATA TABLES:
Trial 1 (Elastic) m1 vo1 po1 m2 vo2

po2

vf1

pf1

-0.25

vf2

Predictions

0.5 1

0.5

1.5 -0.5 -0.75 -0.5

Results

0.5 1

0.5

1.5 -0.5 -0.75 -1.25 -0.625 0.25

pf2

-0.25 -1
0.375

Po = 0.5-0.75 = -0.25
Pf = -0.625 + 0.375 = -0.250

Trial 2 (Elastic)

m1

vo1

po1 m2 vo2

Predictions

3.14 2.5

7.85 5.6 -4.5 -25.2 -1.5

Results

3.14 2.5

7.85 5.6 -4.5 -25.2 -6.47 -20.3 0.53 2.96

vf1

-6

-2.7

-3

Predictions

4.5 1.7

77.1 0.30

-9.9

-34.3

3.6

8.4

Results

4.5 1.7

77.1 0.30

2.079

9.357

0.079

6.122

m2

vo2

pf1

pf2

m2

po1

vf1

vf2

m1 vo1 po1

vo1

po2

pf1

Trial 3
(Elastic)

Trial 1 (Inelastic) m1

vo2

po2

po2

Before Collision

4.6 2

After Collision

4.6 -2.825 -12.995 2.34 2.485 5.815

9.2

2.34 7

-16.38

Momentum Arrow Change: Yes

Trial 2 (Inelastic) m1 vo1 po1 m2 vo2

po2

Before Collision

52

260

-2.5 -12.5

After Collision

52

208

7.9

39.5

po1

m2

vo2

Momentum Arrow Change: Yes

Trial 3 (Inelastic) m1

vo1

po2

Before Collision

6.8 7.5

After Collision

6.8 2.326 15.817 4.3 7.282 31.313

51.0

Momentum Arrow Change: Yes

4.3 -0.9

-3.87

vf2

pf2

CALCULATIONS:
1. Is Kinetic Energy conserved now? If so when
No kinetic energy is lost. Kinetic Energy is only conserved during elastic collisions.
2. Did your total momentum ever change? If so when?
Yes during all three trials (inelastic)
3. When fully inelastic what did the two objects do differently?
Velocity changes for both the objects in inelastic collisions unlike elastic collisions
RESULTS:
4. A 2.0 kg mass traveling at 3.0 m/s strikes another 2.0 kg mass traveling at 1.0 m/s. They collide and have a complete elastic collision. If the second mass
moves at 3/0 m/s after the collision, what does the first mass do?
The first mass moves at -1 m/s after the collision
5. Lets say you have a 1.0 kg mass at rest, struck by a 2.0 kg mass traveling at
-2.0 m/s. They collide and stick together, thus combining their masses to 3.0
kg. What is the velocity of the combined mass and what type of collision is
this?
(-1.333 + -1.333) = -2.666 m/s
Absolute Inelastic Collision
6. In this situation both objects start combined together. Object one has a
mass of 10.0 kg and object two has a mass of 5.0 kg. Combined they are at
rest, however they then interact and object one pushes away at 4.0 m/s. What
will object twos velocity be at this point?
10(0)+5(0) = 10(4)+5vf2
0 = 40+5vf2
-40 = 5vf2
vf2 = -8 m/s
CONCLUSION:
We successfully answered all questions to the Phet Motion Collision Lab. We have
complete tables depicting our predictions before collisions and the results recorded
afterwards. Although we were off in a majority of our predictions we were able to
grasp collision physics better. We learned the difference in elastic and inelastic
collisions. Our tables for inelastic collisions have before and after data to show the
differences these collisions caused. There are many forces that come into play when
working with physics. We have obtained a good grasp of what collision physics are
and are prepared to handle tougher challenges.