Marbles Collisions Lab
Names ______
How do masses of colliding objects change the results of collisions?
Our Hypothesis
______
Materials:
5 small marbles
2 larger marbles
2 meter sticks
tape
Procedures:
1. Tape meter sticks slightly farther apart than the width of the large marble. This limits the motion of the marbles to nearly a straight line.
2. Place a small target marble in the center of the track formed by the meter sticks. Place another small marble at one end of the track. Flick the small marble Describe the collision.
3. Repeat step 2, replacing the two small marbles with two large marbles. Describe the collision.
4. Repeat step 2, replacing the small shooter marble with a large marble. Describe the collision.
5. Repeat step 2, replacing the small target marble with a large marble. Describe the collision.
6. Repeat step 2, replacing the small target marble with four small marbles that are touching. Describe the collision.
7. Place two small marbles at opposite ends of the meter sticks. Shoot the marbles toward each other and describe the collision.
8. Place 2 large marbles at the opposite ends of the meter sticks. Shoot the marbles toward each other and describe the collision.
9. Place a small marble and a large marble at opposite ends of the meter sticks. Shoot the marbles toward each other and describe the collision.
Procedure / Marbles / Collision DescriptionDirection each marble moved
Velocity of each marble.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1. In which collisions did the shooter marble change directions?
______
How did the mass of the target marble compare to the mass of the shooter marble in these collisions.
______
2. Describe how the velocity of the shooter marble changed when the target marble had the same mas and was at rest.
______
Our hypothesis was ______
1