Blog #12

In this week of physics we focused on the changing of momentum through collisions. We experimented with cars on a frictionless track. We tested to see if mass affects momentum. When a bigger car hits a small car, the bigger car will have more momentum thus pushing both cars in the direction that the big car was going. The big car has more momentum because it has more mass.
       A KC-135 (re fueler plane) is a very large plane. It also contains a lot of jet fuel. This plane has a large mass. These planes refuel smaller planes, more specifically jets. Jets are very small and light. They have a very small mass. When these two planes meet in the sky they connect so they can transfer fuel. If the jet approaches the KC-135 too fast then it will crash into the back of the KC-135. The KC-135 would theoretically have a change in momentum because the jets momentum was transferred into the big plane. In actuality the planes would both crash.

     This picture shows the KC-135 refueling the Jet when both are going at the same uniform velocity. Its like the the cars in class when they are connected by the velcro. Same velocity and same momentum. (Click the picture to make it larger)