Balloon Toss lab
Question: What variables affect the impact force in a collision and in what manner do they affect the force?
Purpose: To investigate the effect of three variables (mass, collision time, velocity change) upon the impact force in a collision.
Materials:
- Water balloons
- Protective clothing
- Outdoor space
Procedures:
Prior to class, several otherwise identical water balloons are filled with varying amounts water; a couple should be overfilled, a couple should be under filled, and the rest could be filled with a normal amount of water.
1) A water balloon is thrown (or dropped from) approximately 10 feet up into the air, caught and observed to not break. The same balloon is thrown 30-40 feet up into the air, and observed to break.
2) A not very massive (under filled) water balloon is thrown (or dropped from) about 20 feet up into the air, caught by the teacher and observed to not break. A very massive (overfilled) water balloon is thrown about the same distance up into the air, caught and observed to break.
3) A water balloon is thrown (or dropped from) approximately 50 feet up into the air, caught using a cradling motion, and observed not to break. The same water balloon is thrown about the same distance up into the air, allowed to hit the ground and observed to break. Students record their observations, identifying the independent variable (m, F, ∆t), the constant quantities, and the dependent variable for each demonstration.
Prior to class, several otherwise identical water balloons are filled with varying amounts water; a couple should be overfilled, a couple should be under filled, and the rest could be filled with a normal amount of water.
1) A water balloon is thrown (or dropped from) approximately 10 feet up into the air, caught and observed to not break. The same balloon is thrown 30-40 feet up into the air, and observed to break.
2) A not very massive (under filled) water balloon is thrown (or dropped from) about 20 feet up into the air, caught by the teacher and observed to not break. A very massive (overfilled) water balloon is thrown about the same distance up into the air, caught and observed to break.
3) A water balloon is thrown (or dropped from) approximately 50 feet up into the air, caught using a cradling motion, and observed not to break. The same water balloon is thrown about the same distance up into the air, allowed to hit the ground and observed to break. Students record their observations, identifying the independent variable (m, F, ∆t), the constant quantities, and the dependent variable for each demonstration.
Data Table:
Calculations:
- Velocity
- V=D/T
- 3m/ 1.4s
- 2.14 m/s
- V=D/T
- 9.1m/1.6 s
- 5.69 m/s
- V=D/T
- 6.1m/1.2 s
- 5.08m/s
- V=D/T
- 6.1m/1.7s
- 3.59m/s
- V=D/T
- 15.2m/1.8s
- 8.44m/s
- V=D/T
- 15.2m/2s
- 7.6 m/s
Post-Lab Questions:
- Assume that we were able to collect the following table of data for a balloon toss lab. The table represents numerical values for force, time, mass, velocity change, impulse, and momentum change for various catches of a balloon. Use the table to answer the following questions.
- Use the impulse-momentum change theorem (and the definitions of impulse and momentum change) to fill in the above table.
- The force required to stop a balloon is dependent upon the mass, velocity change, and collision time. Use the data in the table above to express your understanding of these relationships.
- Although there are some balloons that are the same masses, it is dependent on the time it takes to change the momentum.
- What effect does a ten-fold increase in ∆time have upon the subsequent force which is required to change an object's momentum (assuming other quantities are constant)?
- Identify at least one set of two rows, which illustrate this cause-effect relationship.
- A and B
- What effect does a fivefold increase in mass have upon the subsequent force, which is required to change an object's momentum (assuming other quantities are constant)?
- Identify at least one set of two rows, which illustrate this cause-effect relationship.
- C and E or C and F
- What effect does a two-fold increase in velocity change have upon the subsequent force, which is required to change an object's momentum (assuming other quantities are constant)?
- Identify at least one set of two rows, which illustrate this cause-effect relationship.
- A, B, and C to D and F
Conclusion:
I found that the small the water balloon and the smaller the height, the faster it dropped. The bigger the water balloon and the bigger the height, the slower the balloon dropped. As a result, all of the times were relatively the same. But, they were different by point-something seconds. Although the times were about the same, the velocities had a big gap between them because of the masses. Whether the balloon broke or not did not make that much of a difference. In conclusion, the bigger and smaller water balloons were dependent on the height, not necessarily the mass.
I found that the small the water balloon and the smaller the height, the faster it dropped. The bigger the water balloon and the bigger the height, the slower the balloon dropped. As a result, all of the times were relatively the same. But, they were different by point-something seconds. Although the times were about the same, the velocities had a big gap between them because of the masses. Whether the balloon broke or not did not make that much of a difference. In conclusion, the bigger and smaller water balloons were dependent on the height, not necessarily the mass.
Video/Pictures: