Momentum and Energy Conservation

Purpose We are trying to verify the conservation of momentum through observation of elastic and
inelastic collisions, in which we can measure and compare the initial and final velocities of the
colliding objects in a closed system.

Methods - Make sure your method is detailed and clear, as if you are trying to communicate your
experiment to someone who has never done the experiment. Be sure to include (as part of a single
paragraph) precise details of:

Your apparatus and the way it is setup.

Exactly what you are measuring and where or when the measurement takes place. Remember,
the velocity is always measured indirectly.
NOTE: Only one trial per collision type

Predictions We are going to predict the quantity we are capable of observing, which is the final
velocity as a multiple of the initial velocity.
Elastic Collisions: Use eq's (75) and (76) to predict the final velocities of both the target and the
projectile as a multiple of the initial velocity of the projectile (which we don't know until we measure
it).
Inelastic Collisions: Use eq (79) to predict the final velocity of both the projectile and the target
(which are now stuck together as one unit) as a multiple of the initial velocity of the projectile (which
we don't know until we measure it,and will be different for each trial).

Results For each type of collision, make a data table for each collision which includes:
measured time for the projectile to pass through the timer
measured time for both the projectile and target to pass through the timer
measured time for just the target to pass through the timer (which we infer from the previous
two entries in our table)
calculated initial velocity of the projectile
calculated final velocity of the target
For the elastic collision, you will not measure the final velocity of the projectile, but rather just
observe weather it is essentially zero or not.
Lastly, we need to quantitatively compare what we predicted and what we observed. This means
calculating percent differences:
Elastic Collisions: Calculate % diff between the initial velocity of the projectile (M 1) and the final
velocity of the target (M2).
Inelastic Collisions: Calculate % diff between the initial velocity of the projectile (M 1) and the final
velocity of the target-projectile system (M 12)

Discussion - What were your final results and how do they compare with your prediction? (Clearly
summarize your results and predictions while answering this question.) What were your sources of
error? Why is this experiment significant? What did you learn?
Hint: Very important to make clear conclusions about the conservation of energy, but also make it
clear that you understand the difference in the two collisions. For the elastic collision, something
else other than momentum is conserved.. What is it? Also, pay a lot of attention to intro about the
comparison of the FINAL KINETIC ENERGY in the two different types of collisions.