EXPLODING CARTS.

1. What is the individual momentum of the red cart before the explosion?

2. What is the individual momentum of the blue cart before the explosion?

3. What is the combined momentum of the system of two carts before the explosion?

4. For which trial(s) is the magnitude of the post-explosion (PE) momentum the same for the red cart and the blue cart?

5. How do the directions of the PE momentums compare?

6. Determine the combined momentum of the system of the two carts after the explosion (i.e. the vector sum of the momentum of the two carts).

7. Based on your data and calculations, is the system of momentum conserved in an explosion?

8. Pick three different trials that have a different mass ratio. For each trial that you pick, fill in the table below.

Science Lab 3: Exploding Carts Purpose: To analyze the explosion that propels two stationary carts in opposite directions to determine some guiding physics principles that describe such explosions. Data Table instructions: 1. Velocity must be converted to m/s. 2. Show calculations for momentum. 3. Velocity and Momentum are vectors! Data Table Trial Mass of Blue Cart (kg) Mass of Red Cart Post-Explosion Post-Explosion (kg) Velocity of Blue Cart Velocity of Red Cart (m/s) m/s 0.5 1.0 60 30 N 0.5 1.5 60 20 W 0.5 2.0 60 15 1.0 1.5 30 20 1.0 2.0 30 15 1.5 2.0 20 15 1.0 1.0 30 30 Calculation Table Trial Post-Explosion Momentum of Blue Cart Post-Explosion Momentum of Red Cart (kg m/s) (kg m/s) W N a UI