Nivale Baxendell
Investigation 11B: Inelastic collisions
Essential question: How can we predict the outcome of an inelastic collision?
Watch video: https://youtu.be/7JCS137YFG8
In this investigation you will explore how the total kinetic energy and momentum of a closed system
involving two carts is affected by a perfectly inelastic collision between the carts.
Perfectly inelastic collisions
1. Set a red cart and a blue cart on a level track with the Velcro® ends facing each other, as shown.
Adjust the track feet to make sure the track is as level as possible.
2. Open the experiment file 11B_InelasticCollisions, and then power-on the Smart Carts and connect
them to your computer using Bluetooth.
3. Begin collecting data with both carts stationary, and then push the red cart into the blue cart. Stop
recording data after the carts have collided.
4. Use your software to find the velocity of each cart before the collision, and the final velocity of the
two carts after the collision.
5. Run the experiment for different combinations of masses for the two carts (0.25 kg = mass of
empty cart). Use your data table to record the velocities for each combination.
6. Calculate the total system momentum and kinetic energy (KE=mv2/2) before and after each
collision. Record the values in your table and examine the table for patterns.
Table: Velocity after the perfectly inelastic collision
Before collision After collision
m1 v1 m2 v2 ptot Etot mtot vtot ptot Etot
(kg) (m/s) (kg) (m/s) (kg m/s) (J) (kg) (m/s) (kg m/s) (J)
0.25 .67 0.25 0 0.1675 0.056 0.50 .33 0.165 0.027
0.25 .57 0.75 0 0.1425 0.041 1.00 .14 0.14 0.0098
0.75 .55 0.25 0 0.4125 0.017 1.00 .41 0.41 0.084
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Questions
a. Describe the velocities before and after the collision when masses are equal.
When the masses of the two carts are equal, the velocity of one cart was zero and the velocity
of the other was 0.67 m/s. After the collision, the combined velocity of the two carts was 0.33
m/s, which is the approximate midpoint of the before-collision velocities of the two carts.
b. Describe the velocities (before and after) when the blue cart has more mass.
I assigned the blue cart to be Cart 2, so when this cart has more mass its velocity before the
collision is still 0 m/s as it is at rest. The before velocity of the other car was 0.57 m/s, and after
the collision the velocity of the combined system is 0.14 m/s, which is less than in the situation
when masses were equal.
c. Describe the velocities (before and after) when the red cart has more mass.
When the red cart has more mass, its velocity before was 0.55 m/s and the velocity of the blue
cart was still 0, as it is always at rest before the collision. After the collision, the velocity of
both cars was 0.44 m/s, which is the largest velocity of the carts after collision when compared
to the other scenarios.
d. As a result of the collision, does the total momentum of the system increase, decrease, or
remain the same? Does the total kinetic energy of the system increase, decrease, or remain the
same?
The total momentum of the system stayed the same no matter the mass of the carts or their
velocities. The total kinetic energy of the system decreased in all situations.
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Nivale Baxendell
Applying new knowledge: Assume all collisions are one-dimensional.
1. A 10 kg puck initially moving at 20 m/s has a perfectly inelastic collision with a 20 kg puck.
a. Will the resulting velocity be greater than, less than, or equal to 10 m/s?
The resulting velocity will be less than 10 m/s.
b. Calculate the resulting velocity.
m 1 v i 1+ m2 v i 2=(m ¿ ¿1+ m2 )v f ¿
(10 kg) (20 m/s) + (20kg) (0 m/s) = (10kg + 20kg) v f
v f =6.67 m/s
2. A 2000 kg car traveling at 8.0 m/s has a rear-end collision with a 1500 kg car stopped at a traffic
light. The cars lock bumpers and skid off together.
a. Which of the ranges below is correct for the resulting velocity?
A. 0 m/s < v < 4 m/s B. 4 m/s < v < 8 m/s C. 8 m/s < v < 12 m/s
b. Calculate the resulting velocity.
m1 v i 1+ m2 v i 2=(m¿ ¿1+ m2 )v f ¿
(2000 kg) (8 m/s) + (1500 kg) (0 m/s) = (1500 kg + 2000 kg) v f
v f =4.57 m/s
c. Calculate the total kinetic energy of the cars before the collision and after the collision.
1 1
Before the collision: m v i12 + m v 2 f 2
2 1 2 2
1
(2000 kg )¿
2
1
After the collision: ¿¿
2
1( 4.57 m 2
2000 kg+1500 kg ) ( ) =36549 J
2 s
3. Two 10 kg pucks head straight towards each other with velocities of 10 m/s and -20 m/s.
They collide and stick together. Calculate the resulting velocity.
m1 v i 1+ m2 v i 2=(m¿ ¿1+ m2 )v f ¿
(10 kg) (10 m/s) + (10 kg) (-20 m/s) = (20 kg) v f
v f =−5 m/ s
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Nivale Baxendell
4. Two identical pucks of equal but unknown mass head straight towards each other with velocities
of 8.0 m/s and -6.0 m/s. They collide and stick together. What is their resulting velocity?
A. +7 m/s B. -7 m/s C. +1 m/s D. -1 m/s E. cannot be determined
5. A 1200 kg car traveling at an unknown velocity has a rear-end collision with a 1600 kg car parked
in the road. The cars lock bumpers and skid off together at 3.0 m/s. What was the velocity of the
1200 kg car right before the collision?
m 1 v i 1+ m2 v i 2=(m ¿ ¿1+ m2 )v f ¿
(1200 kg) ( vi 1) + (1600 kg) (0 m/s) = (1200 kg + 1600 kg) (3.0 m/s)
vi 1= 7 m/s
