Momentum Lab
Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to determine the relationship between momentum and mass.
Hypothesis: The more mass an object has the more momentum is possesses.
Materials:
Data Table:
Hypothesis: The more mass an object has the more momentum is possesses.
Materials:
- Toy Car
- Ramp
- Text Book
- Weights
- Scale
- Bumper (I used a lightweight car)
- Meter Stick
Data Table:
Analysis: Using this experiment, you can see that my hypothesis was proven correct. The data table shows that the distance the book moved is exceptionally larger with the larger mass than it is with the smaller mass. An object with a larger mass is able to pick up more speed as it travels down an inclined plane because it is affected by gravity more, and because of its large mass, it becomes harder to stop, which is what momentum is. This is the same for objects with less mass, they won't accelerate as much as an object with as much mass, so as it travels down an inclined plane, it would be easier to stop than the more massive object.