The definition of impulse is impulse = Fat. We can get a good value of impulse by measuring the area under a force vs. time graph. This particular force graph is typical for an elastic object, such as a rubber ball, during a collision. You may recognize the familiar bell-shaped curve
(Gaussian curve). These "curves" are often very sharp, as is this one, which looks like a spike. We can get a pretty good estimate of the area under
it during the collision by taking the area of a triangle, where the base is the time from the beginning to the end of the collision and the height is
the highest value of forde. Follow these steps:
. Click on the point where you think the spike begins, then scroll down the data table to see what line is highlighted. Record the time for that
line as the initial time in the table below.
• Follow the same process to find the time at the final time point and to find the force at the maximum force point on the curve. Record both
in the table below.
• Use the formula for area of a triangle [(base)(height)] to calculate the area under the curve here. That will give you an estimate of impulse.
Record it in the table below.
Initial Time (t)
Final Time (tu)
Maximum Force (max)
Impulse (FAT): % (max)(y-ti)