Mississippi Science PHY.3.4
The Standard
- PHY.3
- Students will develop an understanding of concepts related to work and energy.
Design and conduct investigations to compare conservation of momentum and conservation of kinetic energy in perfectly inelastic and elastic collisions using probe systems, online simulations, and/or laboratory experiences.
2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Work and Energy
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students plan and run two cart collisions, one where the carts bounce apart and one where they stick. They measure mass and velocity before and after, then calculate total momentum and kinetic energy for each collision.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students keep the starting conditions the same and use direction when calculating momentum. They find that total momentum stays nearly the same in both trials, while kinetic energy drops more when the carts stick.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat momentum as a number without direction or expect each cart to keep its own momentum. They may think kinetic energy disappears when carts stick, rather than changing into sound, heat, and deformation.
How to Assess It
- Give this exit ticket: Two 1 kg carts collide. One moves at 2 m/s and the other rests. Afterward they stick and move at 1 m/s. Calculate total momentum and kinetic energy before and after, then name which quantity is conserved.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Collide a moving cart with a stationary cart using spring bumpers, then hook-and-loop tape; record velocities before and after with a phone video.
Ask students to write a claim using their cart data: Why can total momentum stay the same while kinetic energy drops when carts stick?
Give teams cart mass and velocity cards; have them calculate total momentum and kinetic energy before and after each collision.
Show bumper-car collision footage; ask students where some of the cars’ kinetic energy goes when they collide.
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Printable PHY.3.4 Worksheet
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Related Standards
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Design and mathematically/graphically analyze quantitative data to explore displacement, velocity, and acceleration of various objects. Use probe systems, video...
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- PHS.5.5
Design and construct an investigation using probe systems and/or online simulations to observe relationships between force, mass, and acceleration (F=ma).
- PHY.3.2
Use mathematical and computational analysis to explore conservation of momentum and impulse.
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