As I am particularly interested in science I have decided to describe a physics experiment, its preparation and results to the potential physics enthusiasts reading our school website. I would also like to emphasise the benefits of conducting experiments in science subjects at Jesenice Grammar School. The described experiment was conducted by students of the second year and supervised by a physics teacher in autumn 2021.
Preparations
Firstly, the equipment and the computer necessary for the experiment had to be prepared. For the experiment about the Law of conservation of momentum we used a hollow rectangular tube with small holes that levitated the two miniature wagons to alleviate friction. The computer was used for measuring the velocity between collisions.
The description of the experiment
In the experiment we put the two miniature wagons on the tube and pushed them towards each other. At the start we measured each other’s mass and velocity, and we did the same at the end. The results were used to calculate if the momentum was conserved.
What we have learned
Considering the results, we were able to prove that the Law of conservation of momentum is true by calculating the momentum of each wagon before and after the collision. We also learned that with a greater mass, a lower velocity is needed to achieve the same momentum and vice versa.
Benefits
A significant number of benefits can be made from experiments, such trying something yourselves, gaining knowledge, experience, understanding and many more. Without the experiments we would not be so sure that existing Laws are correct, and it would be harder to understand what the laws represent.
Conclusion
All things considered, we obtained the expected results and proved that the physics laws and thermos are true. However, if we wanted to achieve more reliable results, more tests and a thorough analysis would be needed.
Jaka Hiršenfelder