Introduction to the lab

In this lab you will watch a portion of a youtube video in which the instructor demonstrates momentum conservation. He will show two carts that are initially touching ((a) in figure below). He will then push a button that releases a spring in one of the carts which then pushes the two carts apart ((b) in figure below). Momentum is conserved in this "reverse" inelastic collision because the Force pushing the carts apart is located within one of the carts. The job in this lab is to show that the final momentum of the carts is equal to their initial momentum. (In this case the initial momentum is zero!). To determine momentum we need to know the mass and velocities of the objects. In the video you will be given the masses of the carts. The velocity is distance / time and in the video the distance will given but you will need to determine the time.

( a ) spring can't cellle cart cart cart 2