Description
How would you test conservation of momentum in a lab? This is the style of the AP Physics C: Mechanics lab free-response question. We name the independent, dependent, and controlled variables, use conservation of momentum to linearize the data (final speed versus initial speed, with a slope of m_A/(m_A + m_B)), plot the points by hand, draw a line of best fit, and use its slope to find an unknown mass. We finish with sources of error and how to reduce each one.
In this video:
0:00 Hook: how to test conservation of momentum
1:07 Designing the experiment: independent, dependent, and controlled variables
3:44 Finding a linear relationship
5:17 Plotting the data and drawing a best-fit line
7:30 Using the slope to find the mass of cart B
9:52 Sources of error and how to reduce them
10:49 Preview: center of mass
Download the guided notes and practice problems for this unit at houstonscience.com.
Part of the AP Physics C: Mechanics Unit 4 (Linear Momentum) series.