Collisions Gizmo Answer Key Activity C !exclusive! — 2d

❌ Adding momentum as scalars instead of vectors. ✅ Fix: Always break momentum into ( p_x ) and ( p_y ) components.

Forgetting that one puck’s Y-velocity is negative (downward). If you use +45° for both, your Y-momentum will not sum to zero, and your answer will be wrong. 2d Collisions Gizmo Answer Key Activity C

: Since both pucks have identical velocity vectors, the entire system is moving "together" toward the top of the screen. 3. Run the Collision and observe the white trail left by the center of mass. ❌ Adding momentum as scalars instead of vectors

Understanding these equations is the prerequisite to answering the questions in Activity C. If you use +45° for both, your Y-momentum

In introductory physics, most collision problems are confined to a straight line (1D). However, the real world happens in two or three dimensions. The allows students to experiment with pucks on an air hockey table to see how momentum and kinetic energy behave when objects collide at an angle.