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Created 3/29/16. Updates available online.

Collision Lab

Collision Lab Screenshot
  • Collisions
  • Momentum
  • Velocity

About

Topics

  • Collisions
  • Momentum
  • Velocity

Description

Use an air hockey table to investigate simple collisions in 1D and more complex collisions in 2D. Experiment with the number of discs, masses, and initial conditions. Vary the elasticity and see how the total momentum and kinetic energy changes during collisions.

Sample Learning Goals

  • Draw "before-and-after" pictures of collisions.
  • Construct momentum vector representations of "before-and-after" collisions.
  • Apply law of conservation of momentum to solve problems of collisions.
  • Explain why energy is not conserved and varies in some collisions.
  • Determine the change in mechanical energy in collisions of varying “elasticity”.
  • What does “elasticity” mean?
Version 2.01

For Teachers

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Title Gold Star Contribution Contribution by PhET Authors Level Type
Algebra-based Physics Semester one lessons, clicker questions, and schedule in pdf (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 HW
Demo
CQs
Lab
Collision Lab : Introduction to One Dimension collisions A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Patricia Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 HW
Lab
Collision Lab Basics A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Brett Moser MS
HS		 Lab
Guided
PhET Collision Lab A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Wendy Adams HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
PhET Collisions A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Brent Olyowski HS Lab
PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum This contribution was designed by PhET. Julia Chamberlain HS
UG-Intro		 Other
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other
Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS Other
Virtual Collisions Lab Danny Diamond HS Guided
Lab
HW
Collision Into Activity Tim Woolgar HS
MS		 Guided
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer MS
HS		 Other
PhET Simulations Aligned for AP Physics C Roberta Tanner HS Other
Level 1 - Momentum Lab by Stephen N. Clontz, M. Ed. Stephen N. Clontz, M. Ed. K-5
MS
HS		 Lab
HW
Guided
Demo
2D Collision Lab Amy Hayes HS Lab
Collision Lab Elizabeth Hobbs UG-Intro Lab
Momentum and Collisions Peter Malecki HS Lab
1D Collisions Lab Chris Bires HS Lab
Collisions Jeremy Thomas K-5 Lab
Collision investigation lab Steve Banasiak - HF physics team HS Lab
Momentum and Center of Mass Sarah Stanhope HS Lab
Momentum Lab Stephanie Givinsky HS Lab
Laboratório de Colisão - Conservação de momento (3a lei de Newton) Tiago Almeida HS Lab

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Translations

Language Download or Run Tips
Arabic All العربية Run now مخبر التصادم
Basque All Basque Run now Talka Laborategia
Belarusian All беларускі Run now Лабараторыя сутыкненняў
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now SUDARI U MEHANICI
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now 碰撞实验室
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now Collision Lab 碰撞實驗室
Czech All čeština Run now Srážky
Danish All Dansk Run now Stød-laboratorium
Dutch All Nederlands Run now Botsing lab
Estonian All Eesti Run now Põrkelabor
Finnish All suomi Run now Törmäyslaboratorio
French All français Run now Labo de collision
Galician All Gallegan Run now Colisión Lab
German All Deutsch Run now Kollisionslabor
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now Εργαστήριο συγκρούσεων
Haitian All Haitian Run now Laboratwa kolizyon
Hebrew All עברית Run now מעבדת התנגשות
Hungarian All magyar Run now Ütközések (légkorong)
Indonesian All Bahasa Indonesia Run now Percobaan Tumbukan
Italian All italiano Run now Laboratorio urti
Japanese All 日本語 Run now 衝突実験
Kannada All Kannada Run now ಡಿಕ್ಕಿ ಲ್ಯಾಬ್
Khmer All Khmer Run now មន្ទីរ​ពិសោធន៍​ការ​ទង្គិច
Korean All 한국어 Run now 충돌실험실
Kurdish (Turkey) All Kurdish (Turkey) Run now Ezmûngeha Lihevketinê
Macedonian All македонски Run now Судари во механиката
Malay All Bahasa Melayu Run now Makmal Pelanggaran
Marathi All मराठी Run now दे धक्का !
Norwegian Bokmal All Norsk bokmål Run now Støt-laboratorium
Persian All فارسی Run now آزمایشگاه برخورد
Polish All polski Run now Symulacja Kolizji
Portuguese (Brazil) All português (Brasil) Run now Laboratório de Colisões
Russian All русский Run now Столкновения
Serbian All Српски Run now СУДАРИ У МЕХАНИЦИ
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now Pružné a nepružné zrážky
Spanish All español Run now Laboratorio de Colisiones
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Laboratorio de Colisiones
Swedish All svenska Run now Kollisionslabb
Tamil All Tamil Run now மோதல் செய்களம்
Thai All ไทย Run now การชน
Turkish All Türkçe Run now Çarpışma labaratuvarı
Turkmen All Turkmen Run now Çakyşma laboratoriýasy
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Va chạm
Welsh All Welsh Run now Lab Gwrthdrawiadau

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
OS 10.5 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Mike Dubson (design + development)
  • Trish Loeblein
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Mindy Gratny (interviews)
  • Jon Olson
  • Sam Reid
  • Ariel Paul (interviews)
  • ASwing
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