Description
This week we are going to investigate some collisions through the use of our favorite simulations website, PhET Collisions Simulation.Links to an external site.
Navigate to the “Intro” tab in the simulation
Turn on the momentum diagram and the kinetic energy value.
Question 1: Describe the vectors (arrows) in the momentum diagram. What is the relationship between vectors 1 + 2 and the total vector?
Question 2: What is the total kinetic energy?
Press the play button and observe the collision.
Pause the simulation after the collision.
Question 3: How did the motion of each ball change before and after the collision?
Question 4: Does the observed relationship between the vectors in the momentum diagram still hold true?
Question 5: Did kinetic energy conserve? Why/ why not?
Reset via either the blue or yellow reset button.
If you use the yellow one, please turn on the momentum diagram and kinetic energy value again.
Slide “elasticity” down to 50% and press play.
Keep an eye on the total momentum vector!
Pause after the collision.
Question 6: Describe how the collision was different this time. How was it the same?
Question 7: What is the new final kinetic energy?
Question 8: Where did the kinetic energy go?
Question 9: Was total energy (kinetic + potential) conserved? Why/why not?
