| Lesson Plan |
| Grade: |
Date: 25/02/2026 |
| Subject: Physics |
| Lesson Topic: understand that, while momentum of a system is always conserved in interactions between objects, some change in kinetic energy may take place |
Learning Objective/s:
- Describe the principle of linear momentum conservation in closed systems.
- Distinguish between elastic, inelastic, and perfectly inelastic collisions in terms of kinetic energy change.
- Apply momentum and kinetic‑energy equations to calculate final velocities for one‑dimensional collisions.
- Analyse real‑world collision scenarios to identify energy transformations.
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Materials Needed:
- Projector or interactive whiteboard
- Slides with derivations and example tables
- Low‑friction carts and track for demonstration
- Motion sensors or video‑analysis app
- Worksheet with collision problems
- Calculator
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Introduction:
Begin with a quick video of two billiard balls colliding, asking students what stays the same after the impact. Recall that momentum is mass times velocity and that they have already used Newton’s second law in previous lessons. State that by the end of the lesson they will be able to predict the outcome of different collision types and explain any loss of kinetic energy.
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Lesson Structure:
- Do‑now (5'): students solve a short momentum‑conservation question on the board.
- Mini‑lecture (10'): review definitions, vector nature, and the conservation principle with slide examples.
- Demonstration (10'): cart‑track experiment showing elastic and perfectly inelastic collisions; students record velocities using motion sensors.
- Guided practice (15'): work through derivations of final velocities for elastic and perfectly inelastic collisions using the worksheet in pairs; teacher circulates for misconceptions.
- Check for understanding (5'): exit‑ticket where each student writes one statement about how kinetic energy behaves in each collision type.
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Conclusion:
Summarise that momentum is always conserved while kinetic energy may be lost, depending on the collision type. Ask a few students to share their exit‑ticket statements to reinforce the key ideas. Assign homework: complete the worksheet problems and bring a real‑world example of an inelastic collision for the next class.
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