Momentum Bashing 1

Use inclined ruler ramps to explore how mass affects a marble's "bashing power."

Key Questions

• What determines if one car has more momentum than another in a two-car collision?
• Does increasing an object's mass increase its momentum or 'bashing power?

Student Directions

1. View the Introduction video.
2. Download and print the Student Activity Sheet.
3. Do the activity and begin answering the analysis questions.
4. View the Conclusion video and finish answering the analysis questions.
5. View the video segment of "It's Basic Physics" to help review the science concept(s).

Momentum: the inertia of moving objects; product of the mass and the velocity of an object (p = mv)

Velocity: the speed of an object and its direction of motion