Conservation of Momentum 1Cabalquinto, Hernandez, Pua* 1 Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines *j_pu92@yahoo.com Abstract n thi! !

tudy, the re!earcher! a!" the que!tion!, #$hat i! momentum, $hat are the concept! behind it, ho$ it i! mea!ured and ho$ i! the la$ o% con!er&ation o% momentum $or"! in projectile motion'( )o be able to an!$er the!e que!tion!, an apparatu! con!i!tin* o% t$o ball bearin*! and an elbo$ trac" i! u!ed to illu!trate con!er&ation o% momentum in projectile motion. )hrou*h the e+periment, the re!earcher! are obtain the momentum o% the!e projectile motion! u!in* equation! ba!ed %rom theorie!. ,%ter analyzin* and interpretin* the re!ult!, the re!earcher! ha&e concluded that the con!er&ation o% momentum i! %ollo$ed in projectile motion!. Conservation of Momentum in Projectile Motion I. Introduction -inear momentum o% an object, in !hort "no$n a! momentum, i! the product o% it! ma!! and it! &elocity .1/. )he momentum o% an object can be de!cribed by it! !ymbol p, $hich can be e+pre!!ed by the e+pre!!ion, mv, in $hich m i! the ma!! o% the object and v i! the &elocity o% the object, $hich i! a &ector quantity, ma"in* the momentum a &ector quantity. 0ir !aac 1e$ton !hort, u!e! momentum to !tate the !econd la$ o% motion $hich !tate! that the rate o% chan*e o% the momentum o% an object i! equal to the net %orce applied to it. .2/. n !hort, a %orce i! needed to chan*e the momentum o% the object. 2omentum i! a con!er&ed quantity ba!ed on the la$ o% con!er&ation o% momentum. )hi! !tate! that the total momentum o% an i!olated !y!tem o% object! remain! con!tant. n thi! e+periment, the re!earcher! $ill be ob!er&in* the la$ o% momentum u!in* the projectile motion o% t$o ball bearin*!. )hi! e+periment $ill be notin* thi! la$ o% con!er&ation o% momentum in the projectile motion o% t$o !cenario!3 %ir!t, a projectile motion and the !econd, non4head4on colli!ion!. , non4head4on colli!ion re!ult! to a non4linear di!placement bet$een the collidin* object! . .5/. II. Theoretical Framework )he mea!urable quantitie! %or thi! e+periment are 6a7 initial &elocity vo, 6b7 %inal &elocity v2, and 6c7 an*le . )o compute %or the initial &elocity vo, the "inematic equation %or the y4component $hich i!3 y 8 yo 9 &ot 9 : *t2 617 $here y i! the %inal &ertical di!placement, yo the initial di!placement, voy the initial &ertical &elocity, t the time and g the acceleration due to *ra&ity, the &ariable time can be deri&ed. 0ince there i! no initial &ertical &elocity and the initial y di!placement i! zero, the!e &ariable! can be cancelled out. ;earran*in* equation 1, the %ormula %or time in a projectile motion i!3 627 <rom there, the initial horizontal &elocity can be obtained u!in* the equation3 + 8 + o 9 = ot 657 $here + i! the %inal po!ition alon* the +4component, + o i! the initial po!ition, &o i! the initial &elocity, and t i! time.

n a projectile motion, thou*h the +4component! and y4component! are independent %rom each other, the &ariable time $ill al$ay! be the !ame. )hu!, the time obtained %rom the equation o% the y4 component $a! the one u!ed to *et the initial horizontal &elocity. ,nother $ay to obtain the &elocity o% the ball a! it lea&e! the trac" i! throu*h the con!er&ation o% mechanical ener*y $ith the equation3 6>7 $here m i! the ma!! o% the object, h1 it! initial &ertical po!ition $ith re!pect to a relati&e point, and h2 it! %inal po!ition. )hi! equation denote! that the initial mechanical ener*y o% the !y!tem i! the !ame a! it! %inal, $hich i! $hat the con!er&ation o% mechanical ener*y mean!. n thi! equation, the initial &elocity i! obtained $hen the ball i! at the top o% the trac" at re!t, and the %inal &elocity i! $hen the ball i! at the end o% the trac". )hi! mean! that the %inal &elocity %rom equation > i! equi&alent to the initial horizontal &elocity o% equation 5. 0ince the ball i! initially at re!t, the initial &elocity %or thi! equation i! zero. Cancellin* out the term and rearran*in* the equation to *et the %inal &elocity, the %ormula $a! deri&ed to be3 6?7 t !hould be noted that the ma!! can be cancelled out !ince there $a! no chan*e in ma!! a%ter the motion. )o compute %or an*le the equation 6@7 $ill be u!ed A $here o i! the oppo!ite !ide o% an ima*inary ri*ht trian*le %ormed %rom the !tartin* point o% the ball in projectile and it! endin* di!placement, and a the adjacent !ide. Ha&in* calculated %or the an*le!, the la$ o% con!er&ation o% momentum can no$ be applied $ith the %ormula3 6B7 ,! mentioned, ho$e&er, it i! nece!!ary to con!ider the +4 and y4component! o% the !y!tem independently %rom each otherC hence, arri&in* at the!e t$o equation!3 6D7 697 $here equation D i! %or the +4component and equation 9 i! %or the y4component. )o !ho$ con!er&ation o% momentum, the equation!

6127 6157

$ill be u!ed. Ehere

i! the initial momentum %or ball ,,

i! the %inal momentum %or ball ,,

i! the initial momentum %or ball F, and

III. Methodolog

i! the %inal momentum %or ball F.

,. 2aterial! )he material! needed %or thi! e+periment are a meter !tic", a elbo$ trac" $ith an adju!table ball holder, t$o piece! o% ball bearin*! ha&in* the !ame !ize , a plumb bob $ith !trin*, %our !heet! $ith mappin* paper and three !heet! o% carbon paper. F. Procedure ,!!emble the apparatu! !ho$n in %i*ure 1 in the handout. ,dju!t the ball holder and the mappin* paper in order %or the plumb bob mar"er, the incident ball alone and the t$o ball! $ould %all $ithin the bound! o% the paper a%ter the colli!ion. ,dju!t the hei*ht o% the ball holder in order %or the center o% the tar*et ball to be at the !ame &ertical hei*ht o% the center o% the mo&in* ball. Getermine the H!tartin* pointI near the top o% the trac". 2ea!ure the &ertical hei*ht o% thi! !tartin* point and record it. Getermine the point on the %loor directly belo$ the colli!ion point u!in* the plumb bob. Place a piece o% mappin* paper at thi! point. )ape thi! paper do$n and mar" the point on the mappin* paper. Getermine the momentum o% the incident ball alone by allo$in* the ball to roll do$n %rom the !tartin* point $ithout collidin* $ith the tar*et ball, and ma"in* a mar" on the mappin* paper directly in %ront. Calculate the momentum u!in* the mea!ure o% the horizontal di!placement o% the ball %rom it! &irtual point o% colli!ion $ith the !tationary ball, $hich i! the point mar"ed by the plumb bob, and the &ertical hei*ht. 2a"e three mea!urement! and a&era*e them. ,llo$ the ball! to collide. Getermine the momenta o% each ball! a%ter the colli!ion u!in* the method !imilar to the pre&iou! part o% the e+periment. 2a"e %i&e trial!. J!e the a&era*e di!placement obtained %rom the!e trial! in order to compute %or the momenta. C. 0tati!tical )ool! )he equation! u!ed %or thi! e+periment are the %ollo$in*3 <or projectile motion, y 8 yo 9 =oyt 9 : *t2 + 8 +o 9 =o+t <or an*le o% each ball a%ter colli!ion

<or con!er&ation o% momentum o% ela!tic colli!ion! ,ll other equation! $ill be deri&ed %rom the equation! abo&e
I!. "esults # $iscussion

)he %ir!t part o% the e+periment $a! to ob!er&e a ball under*oin* projectile motion. )hi! $a! done in %i&e trial! $herein the horizontal and &ertical di!placement o% the ball $ere mea!ured. )able 1 belo$ !ho$! the re!ult o% the %i&e trial!. )able 1. Gata on Projectile 2otion o% a Fall

Trial , 2 5 . 0 Average Hei*ht 6y73 K.D1>m

Time %s& -..-/ -..-/ -..-/ -..-/ -..-/ -..-/

"ange' (' %m& -..01 -..34 -..44 -..4-../1 -..3-

Initial )ori*ontal !elocit %m+s& ,.,20 ,.,43 ,.,.2 ,.,23 ,.,11 ,.,02

t i! important to note that the time and initial &elocity pre!ented in table 1 are quantitie! calculated %rom the mea!ured &ariable!, hei*ht and horizontal di!placement. J!in* the "inematic equation particular %or the y4component3 y 8 yo 9 =oyt 9 : *t2 617 $here y i! the %inal &ertical di!placement, yo the initial di!placement, voy the initial &ertical &elocity, t the time and g the acceleration due to *ra&ity, the &ariable time can be deri&ed. 0ince there i! no initial &ertical &elocity and the initial y di!placement i! zero, the!e &ariable! can be cancelled out. ;earran*in* equation 1, the %ormula %or time in a projectile motion i!3 627 <rom there, the initial horizontal &elocity can be obtained u!in* the equation3 + 8 +o 9 =o+t 657 n a projectile motion, thou*h the +4component! and y4component! are independent %rom each other, the &ariable time $ill al$ay! be the !ame. )hu!, the time obtained %rom the equation o% the y4 component $a! the one u!ed to *et the initial horizontal &elocity. )he initial horizontal &elocitie! o% the %i&e trial! $ere a&era*ed to be 1.1?2mL!. )hi! i! the &elocity o% the !teel ball a! it lea&e! the trac". t !hould be noted that thi! initial &elocity $a! calculated u!in* "inematic principle!. ,nother $ay to obtain the &elocity o% the ball a! it lea&e! the trac" i! throu*h the con!er&ation o% mechanical ener*y $ith the equation3 6>7 $here m i! the ma!! o% the object, h1 it! initial &ertical po!ition $ith re!pect to a relati&e point, and h2 it! %inal po!ition. )hi! equation denote! that the initial mechanical ener*y o% the !y!tem i! the !ame a! it! %inal $hich i! $hat the con!er&ation o% mechanical ener*y mean!. n thi! equation, the initial &elocity i! obtained $hen the ball i! at the top o% the trac" at re!t, and the %inal &elocity i! $hen the ball i! at the end o% the trac". )hi! mean! that the %inal &elocity %rom equation > i! equi&alent to the initial horizontal &elocity o% equation 5. ,! mentioned the ball initially i! at re!t, indicatin* that the initial &elocity i! zero. Cancellin* out the term and rearran*in* the equation to *et the %inal &elocity, the %ormula $a! deri&ed to be3 6?7 t !hould be noted that the ma!! o% the object i! not needed a! there $a! no chan*e in ma!! a%ter the motion. Hence, ma!! can be cancelled out. t i! al!o *ood to "no$ that the point o% re%erence %or the &ertical po!ition o% the ball be%ore and a%ter i! the %loor. 0ince the trac" i! located on the table $hich i! K.D1>m hi*h, and the trac" i! K.925m abo&e the %loor, the di%%erence bet$een the %inal hei*ht and

the initial hei*ht $a! calculated and $a! %ound to be K.1K9m. 0ub!titutin* thi! &alue to equation ?, the %inal &elocity $a! calculated to be 1.>@2mL!. t i! noticeable that there $a! a !li*ht di!crepancy bet$een the &elocity calculated throu*h the con!er&ation o% ener*y 61.>@2mL!7 and throu*h the "inematic principle! 61.1?2mL!7. ,!ide %rom in!trument error! and human error! $hich can be eliminated, one important cau!e o% thi! error i! the a!!umption! that the equation! made $ith re*ard! to the !y!tem. )here are !ome e+ternal %actor! that are di!re*arded by the equation! u!ed that mi*ht ha&e chan*ed the re!ult! had it been included. <or one, the pre!ence o% %riction $a! i*nored in equation >. 0ince %riction re!i!t! motion, the &elocity %rom the con!er&ation o% ener*y !hould ha&e been le!!er. )hi! mi*ht be one o% the rea!on! $hy the initial &elocity %rom the con!er&ation o% ener*y i! *reater than that %rom the "inematic principle!. ,l!o, the "inematic equation! ha&e !ome a!!umption! a! $ell !uch a! the ne*li*ibility o% air re!i!tance and that the acceleration due to *ra&ity i! con!tant, i.e., 9.DmL! 2, $hich i! al!o an a!!umption o% equation >. )he initial &elocitie! calculated %rom part 1 $ill be u!ed %or the ne+t part o% the e+periment. )he ne+t part o% the e+periment in&ol&e! a non4head4on colli!ion bet$een t$o ball!, one in motion and the other initially at re!t. 1on4head4on colli!ion! re!ult to a non4linear di!placement bet$een the collidin* object!. )hi! mean! that component! in the +4 and y4direction! are both pre!ent in the !y!tem. n thi! part, the la$ o% con!er&ation o% momentum i! applied independently on each direction. n thi! part o% the e+periment, the quantitie! "no$n are the an*le! o% each ball a%ter colli!ion relati&e to the !trai*ht path the ball in motion $a! *oin*, the initial &elocity o% Fall , ju!t be%ore it hit! Fall F $hich $a! calculated %rom part one, and the initial horizontal &elocity $hich i! zero. )he an*le! mentioned $ere calculated u!in* the tri*onometric equation3 6@7 $here o i! the oppo!ite !ide o% an ima*inary ri*ht trian*le %ormed %rom the !tartin* point o% the ball in projectile and it! endin* di!placement, and a the adjacent !ide. )he!e &alue! $ere mea!ured %or %i&e trial! and $ere a&era*ed. <rom there, the an*le! $ere obtained to be 29.@5 %or the ball initially in motion and 4>>.1> %or the one initially at re!t. t can be noticed that the an*le! ha&e di%%erent !i*n!. )hi! i! becau!e o% the ball! mo&ed in oppo!ite direction! a%ter the colli!ion. Ha&in* calculated %or the an*le!, the la$ o% con!er&ation o% momentum can no$ be applied $ith the %ormula3 6B7 ,! mentioned, ho$e&er, it i! nece!!ary to con!ider the +4 and y4component! o% the !y!tem independently %rom each otherC hence, arri&in* at the!e t$o equation!3 6D7 697 $here equation D i! %or the +4component and equation 9 i! %or the y4component. 0ince Fall , i! initially in a !trai*ht pathC that i!, only the y4component i! pre!ent, then it! initial horizontal &elocity i! zero, a! $ell a! that o% Fall F $hich i! initially at re!t. Fall F(! initial &ertical &elocity i! al!o zero. )hi! $ill lead to the $or"in* equation! o%3 61K7 6117

<rom here, the %inal &elocitie! o% both ball! 6

and

7 can be obtained. )he ma!! o% both

ball! $a! mea!ured to be K.K2D?"*. )he other "no$n &ariable i! the initial &ertical &elocity o% Fall ,. t !hould be remembered that there $ere t$o &elocitie! calculated %rom part 1 A one %rom the "inematic principle! and the other %rom the con!er&ation o% mechanical ener*y. J!in* the %ormer, the &elocitie! o% Fall , and Fall F a%ter the colli!ion $ere K.D59mL! and K.?95mL!, re!pecti&ely. <rom the table belo$, it i! clear that the momentum be%ore and a%ter the colli!ion $a! con!er&ed. )able 2. Con!er&ation o% 2omentum u!in* the nitial =ertical =elocity obtained %rom Minematic Principle! 61.1?2mL!7 Actual P Angle P cos P sin PA -.-55 -.-55 P6 PA7 -.-2. 21.45 -.-2, -.-,2 P67 -.-,3 8...,. -.-,2 8-.-,2 6127 6157 61>7 61?7 )able 5, on the other hand, !ho$! the con!er&ation o% momentum o% the !y!tem u!in* the initial &elocity %rom the con!er&ation o% ener*y. )able 2. Con!er&ation o% 2omentum u!in* the nitial =ertical =elocity obtained %rom the -a$ o% Con!er&ation o% 2echanical Nner*y 61.>@2mL!7 Actual P Angle P cos P sin %kg ( m+s& %kg ( m+s& %kg ( m+s& PA -.-.2 -.-.2 P6 PA7 -.-521.45 -.-24 -.-,0 P67 -.-2, 8...,. -.-,0 8-.-,0 )o !ho$ that momentum $a! con!er&ed, equation! 12 and 1> $ill al!o be u!ed. 6127 61@7 61>7 61B7

t i! noticeable that in both !ituation!, momentum $a! con!er&ed. Ho$e&er, the momenta be%ore and a%ter o% the !y!tem o% the +4component! $ere di%%erent A 0.042 g ! m"s %rom the con!er&ation o% ener*y, and 0.0## g ! m"s %rom the "inematic principle!. )hi! i! due to the di%%erence in &elocitie! u!ed. ,! mentioned abo&e, thi! di%%erence mi*ht be due to !ome a!!umption! pre!ent in both equation!. 2oreo&er, it mi*ht al!o be %rom the &ariable! that each equation! u!e. )he "inematic equation u!ed the horizontal and &ertical di!placement o% the ball o% the projectile motion in order to calculate the &elocity. On the other hand, the la$ o% con!er&ation o% momentum made u!e o% the &ertical di!placement o% the ball, $hich i! con!tant %or the %i&e trial!. )hi! mean! that the "inematic equation! ha&e more room %or error! a! it include! that horizontal di!placement o% the ball $hich &arie! amon* the %i&e trial!. t i! ad&i!able, thou*h, to u!e the "inematic principle! in !ol&in* %or the &elocity o% Fall , be%ore it hit! Fall F !ince the e%%ect o% the ne*lectin* %riction i! much *reater than the &aryin* mea!urement o% the horizontal di!placement o% the ball. ;e*ardle!! o% the method, ho$e&er, it i! important to note that the ball !hould be placed at the !ame point %or e&ery trial. )hi! i! to en!ure that the &ertical di!placement mea!ured i! con!tant %or all trial!, le!!enin* the po!!ibility o% error! due to inaccurate mea!urement!.
!. Conclusions )he e+periment $a! able to determine i% the la$ o% con!er&ation o% momentum i! %ollo$ed. ,t the end o% the e+periment, the calculated initial &elocitie! $ere 1.>@2mL!, throu*h con!er&ation o% ener*y equation, and 1.1?2mL! %rom the "inematic equation!. )he !li*ht di!crepancy may be %rom the %act that t$o di%%erent equation! $ere u!ed to !ol&e %or the momentum 6"inematic %or the projectile motion portion, and con!er&ation o% momentum %or the &ertical di!placement o% the ball7. Human error i! al!o a contributin* %actor in the di%%erence! in the be%ore and a%ter momentum !ince the re!earcher! $ere the one! that placed the ball! on the !et4up and mea!ured the di!placement them!el&e!. )here(! al!o %riction, $hich $a! not accounted %or by the equation! u!ed. J!in* the re!ultin* di!placement, &elocitie!, and an*le!, the re!earcher! %ound that, althou*h the &elocitie! bet$een the t$o $ere di%%erent,6the momentum be%ore and a%ter o% the !y!tem o% the +4 component! $ere di%%erent A0.042 g ! m"s %rom the con!er&ation o% ener*y, and 0.0## g ! m"s %rom the "inematic principle!7 momentum $a! con!er&ed throu*hout the e+periment. )he di%%erence in the actual number! $a! a*ain due to ha&in* t$o di%%erent equation! %or computation!, and the a!!umption! that may come $ith the!e equation!. "eferences 1 Ehelan, Hod*e!on, and 2urray. $ssential Prin%iples o& Physi%s3 2nd Ndition, 19BD. 2 Piancoli, Gou*la! C. Physi%s' Prin%iples (ith Appli%ation @th Ndition, 2KKB 5 Cutnell, Qohn and Qohn!on. Physi%s Bth Ndition, 2KKB