:NTRCDUÇTION

- peódulurn is an apparatus that is used to measure the speed of a bullet. It _s:rates the immediately
principles involved in conservation Of energy and momentum.

-HEORY
.5 experirñent makes use Of the fotlcwing pr.ncffles: the total momentum of a
- :sed system does not change and the total energy of a closed system does not

:altistic 2endulum is still an important laboratory experiment for "lustrating the cepts
momentum and energy although it hes now been outdated by Other It is an apparatus
used to measure the velocity of a ounet. The bullet *'red to have a completely inelastic —
collision with a body of much greater mass.
-e momeóturn of the system immediately after collision is equal to the original — m
amentu.•n of the bullet, but since the velocity very much smaller it can be :žtermined e
more easily. d
i
a
t
y
a
f
t
e
r
t
h
e
c
o
Figure;l, the l
pendulum, with mass rnz, hangs vertically. A steel ball of mass t-evetinq twith a l
velocity 'h, strikes the pendulum and remains embedded in it. If collision time is very i
small compared with the time of sw!ng of the pendulum, suppbrting rod remain
practicalty vertical duflng this time. Hence no external -arizcntal forces act on the system s
during the collision, and the horizontal —tnentgm is conserved. Then if v I represents the i
velocity of ball and pendulum o
n
,
(eqn.l)
a
f
t
e
r
 the collision is

(eqn. 2)
to the right and upward until it Stops and its :.inetic
potential energy. (small frictional effects can

(eqn. 3)
OBJECTIVES
To use the principles of conservation of energy and momentum determining the
veloci:/ Of the steel bail using a ballistic pendulum,

2. To validate the initial velocity of the steel bait through projectile motion.
EQUIPMENT CARE:
• Never aim the spring to
MATERIALS anybody or to a: . breakable
object.
1 set ballistic pendulum with accessories pc meterstick
• Make sure that t? E

equation (l) = equation (2)

NOTES

Physics Laboratory
 2

—(nti + nt2)u: * rt2)gy

equation
(eqn. 4)
and y, the original velocity v, Of the ball can be computed. —
(1)

(m, m,) 20
(eqn. 5)

:+rcipieof projectile can be observed in a rifle bullet, baseball or golf ball, Or a from
an airplane. The path followed by a projectile is called its Air resistance Will be
neglected, though important, in this experiment to the computation. The only force
at this juncture in the projectile is its so Newton's seccnd law of motion can be
used to determine the the principle of kinematics can be used to compute the init\al

= mtg

-crizontal and vertical motions are independent of each other. Considering the motion
first and downward direction as positive, wc have

+ —ayt 2 , substituting vo = O and a, g

solving for t
(eqn. 6)

inc account the horizontal motion which is constant, therefore we have so v, —v,
= v, = constant. Then, using the value of t in equation

(eqn. 7)

Pa

Ballistic
Pendulum, Initia' Velocity NOTES
Physics Laboratory
 the mass of the steel ball and the mass Of the ballistic

the apparatus in such a way that the pendulum bob is in the 0 0

the initial height y: of the pendulum bob from the

base to the reference point O.
4. Fire the steel ball to the pendulum holder and take note Of the displaced angle.
00 It five times and get the mean angle.
S. Set manually the pendulum bob to the mean angle computed then determiOe
carefully the vertical distance y, from the base of the ballistic pendulûm to
the reference point O.

6. Get the difference between y: and y, to get the increase in height y of the steel
ball and ti-ië pendulum bob which used to determine the change in potential
energy.
Compute the velocity of the steel bali and the pendulum bob after the inelastic
collision-witi. ecuation (4) using the value of increase in height y. The
change in potential energy is theoretically equal to the change in potential
energy.
8. By be readily
determined,

Figure 2
—ne balti<ic pendulum in the ficy.•re consists of a grin? Which fires a small steel ball into
catcher at the lower of ale arrn The system 's designed In such a "'ay the ball and the catcher is a totally inelastic co'hstor,.
The rncmentum of the steel ball zznsmitted to the pendu:trn zaa;es it swing The energy is said to be to gravitational
potential energy.
Part 2

pertOrming the next part, answer the following questions.

experiment verify the Caw Conservation Momentum? Why? NOTES

th experiment verify the cf Conservation of Energy? Why?

——2jectory, Initial velocity fix the pendulum upward so that the bat' can be fired
horizontally to the floor Without any obstruction.
Set spring gun at the end of the tab!e. (Note: Never aim the spring gun to
a body or to any breakable object. Aliot longer distance than the horizontal

Physics Laboratory
 distance the steel ball Will travel. Measure the vertical of the firing
position.
using the velocity of the bail calcu;ated in part 1, the horizontal distance
which the ball is suppose to land can be predicted. Within that area, put a
sheet of bond paper, face-down carbon paper and another bond paper.
When the steel õalls land on this pack of papers it will leave a black mark
on the bottom sheet of bond paper.
S. Fireathe•steel ball and measure the horizontal distance (x). Do it five times
andithen compute the average horizcntai distance
6. Det rmine the initiai velocity using equation (7)

FIGURE 3

Par

Physics Laboratory
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Pan

Physics Laboratory
part