Single Collision
This GasLab model uses the same collision rules as all the other GasLab models, but it it simplified to show the collision of only two molecules instead of thousands. The molecules are treated like two elastic balls of equal mass and speed that strike each other with every arrangement from glancing to head-on collisions. The center of mass is shown with a white patch.
For detailed instructions on using the program, take a look at the info window from the
Single Collision model.
Download the StarLogoT source code for
the Single Collision model:
Click on one of the pictures to see a quicktime movie
of the model:
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The first movie shows two successive collisions between a red particle (yellow trace) and a gray particle (green trace). They don't quite hit head-on, so the gray particle bounces off upward and the red particle goes downward. The white center of mass stays put. The second collision is slightly less head-on than the first.
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The second movie shows two successive collisions where the red and gray particles are not directly opposed. The white center of mass moves with them. Under these conditions, the red particle is slower, and the gray particle faster, after they collide.
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