16
Lesson 16 of 84 · Forces
ExperimentMomentum and Collisions
What You'll Learn
Momentum is mass times velocity. A heavy truck moving slowly can have the same momentum as a light car moving fast. Momentum is conserved in collisions.
Key Words
- kinetic
- potential
- work
Materials Needed
- rubber bands
- blocks
- spring scale
- stopwatch
- pencils
- toy cars
Safety First
- Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.
Steps
Step 1 — Read
Read about Forces and write down three key facts.
Step 2 — Do
Test Newton's Third Law: blow up a balloon, attach it to a straw on a string, and release. Measure how far it travels with different amounts of air.
Step 3 — Observe
Watch carefully for any changes and note the time.
Step 4 — Record
Create a data table to organize your measurements.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What do magnets have?