Energy Conservation
Patricia Horn
Lab Partner: Nick Desnoyer
TA: Scott Sawyer
PHYS181 001-7
I submitted at on Tuesday March 3, 2015
Abstract:
The purpose of this lab was to determine the relationship between kinetic and potential energy as a function of height. The lab was set up in two sections. The first section of the lab involved a plastic car on a roller coaster track with a loop in did not stay constant but it decreased once it hit the middle of the loop or the middle of the dip. The potential energy was similar to velocity, it was greatest at the top of the track and was least in the middle of the loop or in the dip of the track. The kinetic energy was actually least at the top of the track and greatest in the middle of the loop or in the dip of the track. …show more content…
1. To measure the velocity of a roller coaster as a function of height. 2. To understand the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy. 3. To measure the energy loss due to friction. During this experiment we measured velocity, kinetic energy, and potential energy using energy method equations.
Theory and Derivations
Part 1:
The velocities were measured as a function of height at 8 different photogates. The photogates were placed towards the top of the track and then they were moved towards the dip in the track and one was place on the top of the loop. The height of the photogates was taken by measuring the distance from the top of the board to the top of the plastic car. Three velocity readings were taken at each height and then the average was taken for each height. This was done by taking the sum of the velocities and dividing them by three.
The following equations were used in part 1:
1. K =1/2mv^2
2. U = mgh
3. Ki + Ui = Kf + Uf
4. V =
Patricia Horn
Lab Partner: Nick Desnoyer
TA: Scott Sawyer
PHYS181 001-7
I submitted at on Tuesday March 3, 2015
Abstract:
The purpose of this lab was to determine the relationship between kinetic and potential energy as a function of height. The lab was set up in two sections. The first section of the lab involved a plastic car on a roller coaster track with a loop in did not stay constant but it decreased once it hit the middle of the loop or the middle of the dip. The potential energy was similar to velocity, it was greatest at the top of the track and was least in the middle of the loop or in the dip of the track. The kinetic energy was actually least at the top of the track and greatest in the middle of the loop or in the dip of the track. …show more content…
1. To measure the velocity of a roller coaster as a function of height. 2. To understand the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy. 3. To measure the energy loss due to friction. During this experiment we measured velocity, kinetic energy, and potential energy using energy method equations.
Theory and Derivations
Part 1:
The velocities were measured as a function of height at 8 different photogates. The photogates were placed towards the top of the track and then they were moved towards the dip in the track and one was place on the top of the loop. The height of the photogates was taken by measuring the distance from the top of the board to the top of the plastic car. Three velocity readings were taken at each height and then the average was taken for each height. This was done by taking the sum of the velocities and dividing them by three.
The following equations were used in part 1:
1. K =1/2mv^2
2. U = mgh
3. Ki + Ui = Kf + Uf
4. V =