#  Conservation of Linear Momentum and Energy 

 



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### Elastic and Inelastic Collision Model

\[M | t+ | ★★★\]  
Two cars model the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions as they smash against a wall

\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/elastic-and-inelastic-collision-model)\]

### Amorphous Metal

\[s | T+ | ★★★★\]  
Compare and contrast a steel ball bearing bouncing on a stainless steel plate and on an amorphous metal plate—a remarkable difference!

### Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

\[L | t+ | —\]  
Gliders on airtrack; pucks on air table.

### Reactionary Roadbed

\[L | t+ | ★★\]  
Radio controlled car moves one way while road moves the other.  
  
\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/reactionary-roadbed)\]

### Pendulum and Nose

\[L | t+ | ★★★\]  
Faith in the conservation of energy is tested by taking the demonstrator's nose to task.  
  
\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/pendulum-and-nose)\]

### Loop-the-loop

\[M | t+ | ★★★\]  
A toy car rolling down a loop-the-loop track demonstrates the minimum height it must start at to successfully negotiate the loop. Can also be performed with small pendulum  
  
\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/loop-loop)\]

### Bow and Arrow

\[L | t++ | ★★★★\]  
Use conservation of energy to predict the height the arrow will reach.

\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/bow-and-arrow)\]

### Bungee Jumping Barney

\[L | t++ | ★★★\]  
Calculate the height from which Barney must jump so that his head just barely kisses the floor at the bottom of his bungee cord jump. Then verify by experiment.

\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/bungee-jumping-barney)\]

### Egg Psych-Out

\[L | t++ | —\]  
More physics in your face with a heavy mass and spring over a carton of eggs (or your face).

### Newton's Cradle

\[S | t | ★★\]  
Conservation of momentum in elastic collisions between suspended spheres.  
  
\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/newtons-cradle)\]

### Bouncing Collision

\[M | t | —\]  
A tennis ball/basketball combination is dropped to the floor ... the tennis ball theoretically bounces to nine times the original drop height.  
  
\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/bouncing-collision)\]

### Special Bouncing Collisions

\[M | t | —\]  
Same as previous except that mass ratio of balls is 1:3 (softball:basketball) leaving basketball dead and softball four times the height.  
  
\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/special-bouncing-collisions)\]

### Bottle Game

\[M | t | —\]  
Try to knock the bottle over on the return swing!

### Happy and Unhappy Balls

\[M | t | ★★★\]  
An amusing example of elastic and inelastic collisions. Also a momentum change / impulse puzzler.

\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/happy-and-unhappy-balls)\]

### Pool Table

\[L | t++ | ★★★\]  
Requiring little or no skill and the aid of a carpenter's square, one shot sinks two balls into the pockets.  
  
\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/pool-table)\]

### Crashing Pendulum

\[M/L | t/t+ | —\]  
A pendulum is allowed to "crash" into a bar, dramatically altering its motion, but energy is conserved as is evidenced by the return swing.  
  
\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/crashing-pendulum)\]

### Mass and Spring

\[M | t | —\]  
Potential and kinetic energy tradeoffs exhibited by a bouncing mass on the end of a spring.

### Contact Us

**Mailing Address**: Lecture Demonstration Services, Science Center, Rm B-08A, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138  
**Campus Location**: Science Center B-08A | **Tel**: (617) 495-5824 | **Email**: scidemos-at-fas.harvard.edu