Simulic
English

Collision lab – momentum and kinetic energy in collisions

PhysicsEnergy & MomentumAges 15–16

Loading…

Share ✨ Customize with AI Report a problem

Four screens for exploring collisions. Intro: two balls collide elastically along a line so you can get used to the controls. Explore 1D: 1 to 4 balls on a track with reflecting ends; set the elasticity from 0 to 100 % and watch momentum vectors, the centre of mass and a live table of m, v, p and kinetic energy. Explore 2D: two balls collide in a plane; drag their positions and velocity vectors to change the collision geometry and analyse it along the normal and tangential directions. Inelastic: elasticity is locked at 0 % so the balls stick together, losing the most kinetic energy while the total momentum is always conserved. Adapted from the "Collision Lab" simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder (CC BY 4.0); rewritten.

Lesson: Collisions and conservation of momentum

How to use

Parameters you can change

  • Screen Intro, Explore 1D, Explore 2D, Inelastic
  • Number of balls (Explore 1D, Inelastic) 1 ball, 2 balls, 3 balls, 4 balls
  • Mass of ball 1 0.2–10 kg
  • Initial velocity of ball 1 -5–5 m/s
  • Mass of ball 2 0.2–10 kg
  • Initial velocity of ball 2 -5–5 m/s
  • Elasticity e (Explore 1D, Explore 2D) 0–100 %
  • Show momentum vectors
  • Show centre of mass (Explore 1D, Inelastic)
  • Show data table
  • Mass of ball 1 (Explore 2D) 0.2–10 kg
  • Mass of ball 2 (Explore 2D) 0.2–10 kg
  • Ball 1 x-velocity (Explore 2D) -5–5 m/s
  • Ball 1 y-velocity (Explore 2D) -5–5 m/s
  • Ball 2 x-velocity (Explore 2D) -5–5 m/s
  • Ball 2 y-velocity (Explore 2D) -5–5 m/s

Related simulations