Abstract
The purpose of this lab was release a ball down a loop-de-loop track and see if the initial and final potential energy could be determined. Through calculations and analysis of how energy is conserved throughout the ball's travels both the initial and final potential energy were determined.
introduction
In this experiment a small rubber ball was released at the top of a loop-de-loop track and then traveled to the end of the track. The ball's motion around the track was recorded using a slow motion camera. This footage was then later analysed to determine the values of the ball's energy at different moments on the track.
Background Information
In this lab the concept of the conservation of mechanical energy was explored. The definition of mechanical energy is the sum of the kinetic and gravitational potential energy, if no other forms of energy are present. Kinetic energy is the total amount of energy an object has due to its motion, whereas the gravitational potential energy is the total amount of energy an object has due to its height relative to a certain point. In this experiment, the balls energy was analysed, to see at certain point what was the level for kinetic and potential energy.
Hypothesis
If a ball is released at the top of a loop-de-loop track and the motion of the ball is recorded, the mass of the ball is determined and the height at different points of the track are measured, then the initial and final gravitational potential energy can be calculated.
Materials
Method
This experiment began by using the electronic scale to measure the mass of the rubber ball, the value was recorded. Then different heights on the loop-de-loop track were measured, such as; the height from where the ball was released to where it traveled in a straight horizontal path along the track at the end of the loop, as they would be needed later in further calculation. Finally, one experimenter used a slow motion camera to film the ball going on the track, while the other experimenter released the ball once the filming had begun. The height and mass of the ball were used to calculate the kinetic and gravitational potential energy of the ball throughout its travel, which was then recorded on the data table below. These values were then analysed to see the changes in energy as the ball moved along the track.
Equations
Data
Discussion
The purpose of this experiment was to release a small rubber ball down a loop-de-loop track, and to see if the initial gravitational potential energy and the final gravitational potenial energy could be calculated. The only values that the experimenters were able to simply determine were the heights of different points along the track and also the mass of the rubber ball. The hypothesis that was stated at the beginning of this lab was proven to be correct through this experiment, the statement had said that if a ball is released at the top of a loop-de-loop track and the motion of the ball is recorded, the mass of the ball is determined and the height at different points of the track are measured, then the initial and final gravitational potential energy can be calculated. Through calculations the experimenters obtained results showing that the initial gravitational potenial energy of the ball was 0.0904 J and the final gravitational potenial energy was 0 J. Most aspects of this experiment were expected for example, it was predicted that the final gravitational energy would be 0 J because gravitational potenial energy is based on the mass of the object, earth's gravity and the height of the object relative to another surface. Therefore because the height was 0m at the final point of measuring, it was no surprise that the gravitational potenial energy resulted as 0J.
Sources of error
Although the mechanical energy i theory was conserved and a value for the maximum velocity and amounts of energy were calculated, there are a few sources of error within the procedure that could have made the results in accurate. For instance, in theory the energy of the ball is being conserved and is being transferred from kinetic to gravitational potenial energy and vice versa. However, this theory is not taking into account that energy is being being lost and converted into various types of energy; heat, friction and sound. So though it definitely is transferring energy from gravitational potenial to kinetic, while the ball is in motion it is also losing energy and converting it into different forms. Another source of error was the measuring of heights, this was done by a ruler and a human eye, therefore it may be somewhat accurate but unfortunately not the most precise method in which leads to the possibility of inaccurate data.
Further Research
To further research the topic of energy conservation, perhaps this experiment could be done using different materials. For instance the experimenters could use different tracks or a different size ball to compare how the results differ. Also it may make the results more accurate if more advanced tools are being used to measure some of the values.