Lab 7 Conservation of Momentum PHY250L
Student Name:
Access Code (located on the underside of the lid of your lab kit):
Lab Report Format Expectations
Utilize college level grammar and formaṄng when answering text based questions.
Report all equations in a proper mathematical format, with the correct signs and symbols.
Submissions with incomplete or improperly formatted responses may be rejected.
Pre-Lab Questions
1. A billiard ball collides head-on with a billiard ball at rest.
a. Sketch a position vs. time graph for each ball. Include the position before the collision,
once the collision occurs and after the collision. Include your hand written name in your
diagram.
b. What can be said about the conservation of momentum for the collision? Explain your
answer.
Momentum is conserved: the total momentum of both balls before impact equals the
total momentum after, because no external horizontal forces act during the collision.
c. Write down the total momentum for two marbles of mass, m, both moving at velocity,
v. What is the kinetic energy of the system?
, Lab 7 Conservation of Momentum PHY250L
Total momentum = 2 m v
Total kinetic energy = 2 · ½ m v² = m v²
Student Name:
Access Code (located on the underside of the lid of your lab kit):
Lab Report Format Expectations
Utilize college level grammar and formaṄng when answering text based questions.
Report all equations in a proper mathematical format, with the correct signs and symbols.
Submissions with incomplete or improperly formatted responses may be rejected.
Pre-Lab Questions
1. A billiard ball collides head-on with a billiard ball at rest.
a. Sketch a position vs. time graph for each ball. Include the position before the collision,
once the collision occurs and after the collision. Include your hand written name in your
diagram.
b. What can be said about the conservation of momentum for the collision? Explain your
answer.
Momentum is conserved: the total momentum of both balls before impact equals the
total momentum after, because no external horizontal forces act during the collision.
c. Write down the total momentum for two marbles of mass, m, both moving at velocity,
v. What is the kinetic energy of the system?
, Lab 7 Conservation of Momentum PHY250L
Total momentum = 2 m v
Total kinetic energy = 2 · ½ m v² = m v²
