| UNIT: |
Elastic collisions |
| PURPOSE: |
Illustrate the exchange of momenta in elastic collision
of equal masses |
| EQUIPMENT: |
| 1. |
Small quintuple pendulum OR |
| 2. |
Large quintuple pendulum |
|
| SUGGESTIONS: |
| 1. |
Collision of two balls (other drawn aside) |
| 2. |
Collisions of three balls (three possibilities) |
| 3. |
Collisions of four balls (five possibilities) |
| 4. |
Collisions of five balls (six possibilities) |
|
| DISCUSSION: |
Two equal masses colliding elastically exchange their
linear momenta; if one is at rest before a collision, the second will be
at rest after the collision. Collisions involving three or more balls can
be understood by considering a series of two-mass collisions.
See attached.
|
