PHY 122 Chapter Notes -Inelastic Collision, Elastic Collision
Document Summary
Abstract: the objective of this lab was to determine whether or not momentum and kinetic energy were conserved in a one dimensional trial. Four trials were conducted two elastic collisions where the masses were unequal and one where the masses were equal and two inelastic collisions where the masses were unequal and one where the masses were equal. The results for the average loss of momentum were all less than 5% so it was confirmed that the momentum energy in all of the systems was conserved. For the kinetic energy for the elastic collisions it was found that the percent loss of the kinetic energy was less than 20% and was thus found to be conserved. However, for the inelastic collisions the percent loss was close to 60% and was thus determined that the kinetic energy of the system for the inelastic collision was not conserved.
