Impulse Lab

Big Question
What is the relationship between impulse, force, and time in a collision?

In this week's lab, we collided 2 aluminum rings. One ring was attached to a car and the other on a force probe stand. The rings help to slow down the collision so we could analyze the experiment better. We measured the velocity with the sonic probe.

Data

• Mass of cart=0.25g
• Velocity before collision=0.4833 m/s
• Velocity after collision=-0.4008 m/s
• Area under F v T graph=-0.2580 N/s
• Impulse=area under a F v T graph-->J=Ft OR
• Impulse=change in momentum (Kgm/s)-->J=P final-P initial

Big Question #2
Which ring will bend more? Red car or blue car?

After the lab, we crashed a red car with less mass and a blue car with more mass. Aluminum rings were attached to both of the cars.

The rings bend the SAME amount

In any collision, no matter what the mass, there is an equal and opposite force! Since the red car has less mass, there is a greater change in momentum. Force and time are inversely proportional (increase T, decrease F) but impulse remains constant.

J     =      F      x      T 

(NxS)    (N)          (s)

(Kgm/s) (Kgm/s)  (Kgm/s)

Real Life Connection-Landing in Basketball!

When Michael Jordan goes for a dunk, he later bends his knees when he lands. By bending his knees, it increases the time of him landing which decreases the amount of force created from the force of the floor on his knees. There is an equal and opposite force on his knees and the floor. The impulse will always stay constant.