EXPERIMENT

3
MOMENTUM AND ENERGY

OBJECTIVE
To determine the velocity of
horizontally projected object ( a metal
ball ) fired from a spring gun.

APPARATUS

BALLISTIC PENDULUM

METAL BALL

ELECTRONIC BALANCE

METER RULER

THEORY
KEI=MVO2

(1)

KEF=(M+M)V2F

(2)
PEF=(M+M)(GH)

(3)

(4)

KEF=(M+M)V2F=(M+M)(GH)=PEF

(5)

VF=2GH

(m+M)Vf=mu
(6)
U=(m+M)m Vf
(7)
U=(m+M)m2gh
(8)

PROCEDURE
1.Using the scales ,find the mass of the metal ball,m.
2.Placed the ball on the gun and push it against the spring back to the
second or third detent position.
3.Fired the metal ball into the ring and measured the distance from the
table to the centre of the pendelum ring when the pendelum/ball
combination is stopped at its highest peak.
4.Push the pendelum up the ramp and out of the way.Alligned the
photo-gates so the ball will travel through the photo-gates without
hitting either photo-gates or other objects when the gun is fired.
5.Fired the ball into the box.The measurement was repeated 5 times.

DATA AND RESULT

VELOCITY, u=
TRIAL

HEIGHT (m)

mp + mb . (m/s)
mb

1
2
2

0.05
0.04
0.04

5.99
5.35
5.35

3
3
4
4

0.04
0.04
0.05
0.05

5.35
5.35
5.99
5.99

0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05

5.99
5.99
5.73
5.73

5
5
AVERAGE
AVERAGE

Mass of ball , mb= 0.023 kg

Mass of pendulum , mp = 0.116 kg
Average u , =
= 5.73 m/s
Average height , =
= 0.05 m
Uncertainty , =

+ +
=

= 0.14 m/s

5.73

DISCUSSION
Source of error :
The table is not exactly horizontal, so our h is not
accurate.
The friction of the system and the air resistance are
external forces that can't be avoided, which will lose
the energy of the system.
Each time the ball hit a notch on the pendulum,it lost
speed due to friction.
The launcher did not launch the ball at the same
initial velocity each time it being fired.

CONCLUSION
The initial velocity that we obtained from this experiment
is 5.73 m/s with uncertainty of 0.14 m/s.
Ballistic pendulum is inelastic collision where the
momentum is conserved while the kinetic energy is not
conserved.
The theoreotical value of initial velocity in is 5.74 m/s.
The percentage error in this experiment is 0.17%.

APPLICATION IN
REAL
LIFE OF
CONSERVATION

MOMENTUM AND ENERGY

AIRBAGS

 Air bags are used in automobiles because they are able to

minimize the effect of the force on an object involved in a
collision.
When encountering a car collision, the driver and
passenger tend to keep moving in accord with Newton's
first law.
Their motion carries them towards a windshield that
results in a large force exerted over a short time in order
to stop their momentum.

BOXING

 When a boxer recognizes that he will be hit in the head by

his opponent, the boxer often relaxes his neck and allows
his head to move backwards upon impact.
A boxer rides the punch in order to extend the time of
impact of the glove with their head.
Extending the time results in decreasing the force and
thus minimizing the effect of the force in the collision.

REFERENCES
-

Practicalphysics.org/applications-conversationmomentum-html
http://
answers.tutorvista.com/225684/what-are-the-examples
-of-ohmic-conductors.html
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
qid=20080924024602AAsc1he