Physics 161 Last Edited: Fall 2022
Experiment 13
Collision Lab (PhET simulation)
Name: ___________________________________ Lab station:______________
Lab Partner: _________________________________
Briefly describe the procedure for today’s lab:
Part I: Elastic Collisions
1) When a smaller ball strikes a more massive ball at rest, what happens to the more
massive ball? To the less massive ball?
2) When a more massive ball strikes a less massive ball at rest, what happens to the
more massive ball? To the less massive ball?
3) Fill in the following table with your experimental data. Be sure add units to column
labels.
Table 1: Data varying the mass of Ball 1
m1 (kg) v1,f ( ) v2,f ( )
0.1
0.2
0.4
1
2
3
Physics 161 Last Edited: Fall 2022
4) Fill in the following table with your experimental data. Be sure add units to column
labels.
Table 2: Data varying the mass of Ball 2
m2 (kg) v1,f ( ) v2,f ( )
0.1
0.2
0.4
1
2
3
5) Is the momentum conserved in a perfectly elastic collision? How do you know?
What about kinetic energy? Attach a spreadsheet supporting your conclusions
Part II: Inelastic Collisions
6) What is the total initial momentum of each object and of the system? Show your work.
𝑝!,# = ________ (kg m/s), 𝑝$,# = ________ (kg m/s), 𝑝%&%'(,# = ________ (kg m/s)
What is the initial kinetic energy of the system? Ki = _________ (J)
7) Fill in the following table with your experimental data. Be sure add units to column
labels (Note: The initial conditions should be the same for each value of elasticity, so
the table only includes data about the system after the collision)
Physics 161 Last Edited: Fall 2022
Elasticity p1,f ( ) p2,f ( ) ptot,f ( ) Kf ( )
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
8) Does the degree elasticity affect the final kinetic energy of the system? If so,
describe the effect, and be quantitative if possible.
9) Are the final momenta of Ball 1 and Ball 2 affected by the degree of elasticity? If so,
describe the effect, and be quantitative if possible.
10) Is the final momenta of the system affected by the degree of elasticity? Is this
consistent with Newton’s Second Law? Explain.
Part III: Elastic Collisions in 2D
11) Fill in the following table with your experimental data. Be sure to add units to column
labels.
ball (vi)x ( ) (vi)y ( ) (vf)x ( ) (vf)y ( )
2
Physics 161 Last Edited: Fall 2022
12) Are momentum and kinetic energy conserved in a 2D elastic collision? Attach a
spreadsheet supporting your conclusion.
Briefly summarize what you learned in this lab. Include a discussion of what it means for
momentum to be conserved in one and two dimensions.