Hello There, I have a physics lab tomorrow. So I want to prepare for it anyways,

Question

Hello There, I have a physics lab tomorrow. So I want to prepare for it

anyways, How can I answer the 3 questions in the last two pages?

Are there 2 possible answers? for the first two questions, how can I determine whether if it was conserved or not?

and for the last question, how would I know if it was an elastic collision?

Please write the correct answers for the 3 questions, and write 2 possible answers (if there were two different answers).

I will attach the whole lab manual for the expirement , just in case if you need it in order to answer the questions

This experiment features an isolated system of two objects colliding with each other. In an elastic collision, objects separate cleanly from each other without friction, sticking, rubbing, or deformation. We define the following notation:

Explanation / Answer

In theoretical world where friction is absent and all the colliding objects are considered as totally rigid, the collision are perfectly elastic i.e their momentum before collision and momentum after collision are same.

In the whole process Kinetic energy remains constant and do not change.

Due to the inadequacy of the practical world, i.e. friction and deformation the collision are not completely elastic. (This inelasticity is measured as "discrepancies" in your experiment)

The Discrepancies can be minimized (or say collision can be nearly perfectly elastic) if these two points are taken care of while performing the experiment.:

a) The colliding object should be made of very dense substance so that they do not deform easily.

b) their surface and the floor on which they move should me nearly smooth so as to minimize friction.

1) In order to answer this part, you need to look at the data of the %Disc.Px and%Disc.Py

Higher the value of these discrepancies, lower is the momentum conserved. Smaller these values, greater the momentum conservation.

**These values will show how well the experiment was conducted. If the apparatus was not handled properly, there were dust on the surface of colliding balls and the apparatus's floor, the discrepancies would arise thus deviating from the theoretical result.(see para 1)

2) Same way as above, This can be checked by checking the %Disc.P value. (This is equal to %Disc.Px + %Disc.Py).

3) In order to check this, calculate the total momentum before collision and after collision. If these two values are same, the collision is elastic.

**As said in practical cast, the perfectly elasticity is hard to achieve, but greater the closeness of these value, greater is the elasticity.

Hope this helps.. Comment for doubts..

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse H
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.