COLLISIONS-II

Name:                                                                  Section:                   

Partner:                                                                  Date:                   

WARNINGS Do not slam or drop the carts. Some carts are magnetic so do not bring them near anything using magnetic data storage, such as the computer or your credit cards.

A. Equipment: Verify that the track is level. If the track is not level you will notice that a cart, when given a gentle push in one direction will stop and reverse direction. If pushed in the opposite direction it may gain speed, although this may not be noticeable due to friction. In setting up LoggerPro remember that you can adjust the rate at which data are taken (the number of measurements taken per second) and the number of points that are averaged. Use 30 Hz and average over 7 points. Be sure to record velocities from times far enough from the collision that the average does not include the collision. Take the time of the collision to be the mid-point between the beginning and end of the collision.

B1 Elastic collision, $m_1$ strikes $m_2$ which is at rest; masses nearly equal.

Table 1: Elastic collision, one cart at rest, equal masses

	Cart 1	Cart 2
Mass
Initial velocity
Time of initial velocity
Final velocity
Time of final velocity

Time collision occurred:                                

Data for friction:

B2 Inelastic collision, $m_1$ strikes $m_2$ which is at rest; masses are nearly the same.

Table 2: Inelastic collision, one cart at rest, equal masses

	Cart 1	Cart 2
Mass
Initial velocity
Time of initial velocity
Final velocity
Time of final velocity

Time collision occurred:                                

Data for friction:

B3 Elastic collision, $m_1$ has a head-on collision with $m_2$. The carts are moving towards each other and have nearly the same masses.

Table 3: Elastic collision, both carts moving, equal masses

	Cart 1	Cart 2
Mass
Initial velocity
Time of initial velocity
Final velocity
Time of final velocity

Time collision occurred:                                

Data for friction:

B4 Elastic collision, $m_1$ strikes $m_2$ which is more massive and at rest.

Table 4: Elastic collision, one cart at rest, unequal masses

	Cart 1	Cart 2
Mass
Initial velocity
Time of initial velocity
Final velocity
Time of final velocity

Time collision occurred:                                

Data for friction: