Conservation of Momentum Investigation

881 Words2 Pages

Conservation of Momentum Investigation

Physical Science Practical

Table of Contents

Investigative Question 3

Hypothesis 3

Apparatus 3

Method 3

Results: Ticker Tape Pieces 5

Calculations 8

Discussion 10

Conclusion 11

Bibliography 12

Investigative Question

Does the momentum of an isolated system remain constant even after a collision and does the addition of mass on an object affect the momentum of an object?

Hypothesis

The momentum of the isolated system will remain constant after the collision because the law of conservation states that the total linear momentum of an isolated system remains constant.

Apparatus

Pulley

Fishing line

Trolley runway

Dynamics trolley

Mass pieces

Scale

Sticky tape

Ticker timer with ticker tape

Method

Measure the mass of the trolley and then measure the mass of the mass piece

Elevate your trolley runway to compensate for friction

Thread ticker tape through the ticker timer and attach it to the trolley

Put the trolley on the elevated runway and give it a push

Once the trolley has reached the end of the runway, remove the ticker tape and analyse it to ensure that the trolley had been moving at constant velocity. If the spaces between the dots are equal, the trolley has been moving with a constant acceleration.

Repeat step 3 and 4 and then drop the mass piece on the trolley as the trolley reaches the middle of the runway before it reaches the end of it.

Collect the trolley, mass piece and ticker tape from the end of the runway

Cut the ticker tape into segments after every 10 spaces. Stick the pieces of the ticker tape in order onto a piece of paper and analyse the tape.

The point of collision is the point where the graph of the ticker tape stop...

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...e could add the mass piece without having them fall off. At the time of the experiment, this was not seen as a threat to our results.

We did not have a specific place on the ramp at where we would drop the mass pieces onto the trolley. We just dropped them anywhere on the ramp. The position of the collisions was different for all three trials which might have affected the results because the distance after the collisions was different for every collision. There was no consistency.

Miscalculations are another source of errors.

Conclusion

The momentum of all three trials was not conserved. The lack of an isolated system is the most probable cause for the failure of this experiment.

Bibliography

Mann, M., 2013. Mind Action Series Physical Sciences 12 Textbook and Workbook. Sanlamhof: Allcopy Publishers.

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