Impulse-Momentum Video Lab

Background

An object can only change its state of motion by having a force applied to it for a certain amount of time. This is the Impulse-Momentum Theorem. You will be using videos of collisions filmed with a high speed camera to collect the data and find the answers to the questions.

Procedure

Before you can begin, you will need to get the videos from Direct Measurement - Impulse and Momentum. Download the file to your computer so that you can use Quicktime to collect the data. Directions for downloading are found on this page.

Hockey Slap Shot

How much force is applied by the hockey stick on the puck during the shot?

Data

• How many frames of contact is the stick touching the puck?
• What is the frame rate of the video?
• What is the mass of the puck?

Calculations

• How much time was the stick in contact with the puck?
• What is the puck’s velocity after it leaves the stick?
• What is the puck’s momentum before contact with the stick?
• What is the puck’s momentum after contact with the stick?
• How much force is applied by the stick on the puck?

Collision Cart Push-off

How well does the video compare with the Law of Conservation of Momentum?

Data

• How many frames does it take Damon to move 20 cm?
• How many frames does it take Christine to move 20 cm?

Calculations

• How fast is Damon moving?
• How fast is Christine moving?
• What was the total momentum before they pushed off?
• What was Damon’s momentum?
• What was Christine’s momentum?

Questions

• What should be the total momentum after they push off?
• How well does the video compare with the Law of Conservation of Momentum?

Blowdart Cart Collision

What is the mass of the dart?

Data

• How many frames does it take the cart to move 5 cm?
• How much distance does the dart travel in 10 frames from frame 0?
• The cart’s mass is 250.3 g.

Calculations

• What is the velocity of the dart before the collision?
• What is the velocity of the cart after the collision?
• What is the mass of the dart?