Conservation of Linear Momentum, Lab Report Example

Introduction

The objective of the laboratory experiment was to review the law of the conservation of linear momentum. The law of conservation of linear momentum was applied in order to evaluate two distinct categories of collision. The linear momentum that is delineated by p = mv is a significant quality in the field of mechanical physics. The main law that had been reviewed in the laboratory experiment was the Second Law of Motion that is directed at linear momentum.

In the examination of the equation, it can be observed that in the absence of external forces, there is a conservation of the momentum within an isolated system. This characteristic is defined as the law of conservation of momentum.

In a system that is isolated that has no external forces exerted upon it, may have compnet6s that may react upon one another by means of collision.

Linear momentum is expressed as a vector and as a vector the conservation of momentum also applies.

In a collision, there may be a change in the mechanical energy. This infers that the mechanical energy may be transformed into other kinds of energy.

In the event that the sum of the mechanical energy is conserved, the collision is detailed as elastic. When there is no conservation of mechanical energy, the collision is described as inelastic.

Procedure

In the first section of the laboratory experiment, an elastic collision was created. The two vehicles had magnets which were incorporated in one of the ends. As there had been a propelling of one of the vehicles toward the other with the magnetic ends directed at one another, the repulsive force generated by the magnets caused the cars to move away from each other. An elastic collision had been created although there had been no physical contact between the vehicles.  In the case of an elastic collision there is a conservation of the mechanical energy. The two velocities of the vehicles can be tabulated by evaluating their starting velocities and their masses. The two vehicles had been labeled A and B. The speeds of the vehicles prior to the collision was delineated v_A and v_B. The speeds of the vehicles subsequent to the collision were delineated as v´_A and v´_B. In the experiment the track was evaluated in order to make sure that its horizontal characteristics had been level. There ha d been two motion sensors that were positioned at the opposing ends of the track. The first vehicle had been placed at the end of the track and the second vehicle had been placed in the middle of the track. The collisions had been performed a total of three times.  The anticipated effect with vehicle A and vehicle B moving toward each other in opposite directions is that the vehicles would come close to one another prior to repelling and not touch.

Results Part Ib

Discussion

It can be observed that there had been differences in the measured values and the predicted values in the laboratory experiment. The causes of the differences between the anticipated and the measured values could be the following: The estimated repulsion forces in the magnets could have been miscalculated. There could have also been friction in the wheels of the vehicles. These are the causal attributes for the discrepancies between the observed values and the predicted values.