PHYSICS LABORATORIUM

PHYSICS
LABORATORY REPORT
JEFFREY LIANDI
2440060742
A71

BINUS-ASO SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

AUTOMOTIVE AND ROBOTICS ENGINEERING
SEMESTER 1
 Experiment
Simple machines: the lever, the inclined plane, and the Pulley

I. OBJECTIVE
At the end of this topic students can understand and explain:
- Simple machines – the lever.
- Simple machines – the Inclined plane.
- Simple machines – the Pulley

II. INTRODUCTION
Simple Machines – The Lever
The workings of a lever can be understood using the concept of torque. When the
torque produced by the applied force (called the “effort”) becomes greater than the
torque of the object being lifted (called the “load”), the lever will rotate about its pivot
point (sometimes called the “fulcrum”), raising the load. However, levers can also be
explained in terms of work and the conservation of energy.
In physics, the precise mathematical definition of work is the force applied to an
object multiplied by the distance over when that force acts, or W = Fd where W is the
work, F is the applied force, and d is the displacement of the object in the direction of the
force. (If a force is applied to an object, but the object does not move in the direction of
the force, then, technically, no work is done.) Whenever work is done on an isolated
system, the energy of the system will change by exactly the amount of work that was
performed, or ΔE = W where ΔE is the change of energy.
In this experiment, you will apply a measurable amount of work to a lever and
observe the change in the gravitational potential energy of the load.

Figure 1 Lever

Simple Machines – The Inclined Plane

The inclined plane, like the lever, is often used to help raise heavy objects. In a
previous experiment, you analyzed this use of the inclined plane in terms of the forces
that are involved. In this experiment you will take a second look at the inclined plane,
using the concepts of work and conservation of energy as you applied them in previous
experiments.
The work to lift an object with a weight, W, is the product of the weight and the
height. To push the same object up the inclined plane requires a smaller force, W sin θ,
than the object’s weight, but the distance over which the force acts is longer. The angle θ
is the incline of the plane.

Figure 2 Inclined plane

Simple Machines – The Pulley

In previous experiments, you used pulleys to change the direction of applied forces.
However, systems of pulleys can be arranged to translate relatively small applied forces
into much larger forces, much the same way as a lever or inclined plane. In this
experiment you will take a second look at pulleys and investigate how systems of pulleys
can be used to amplify the applied force as work is done.
In an ideal pulley system there would be not friction in the pulleys. For example, the
applied force would be transferred completely to the hanging mass.
As with the lever and the inclined plane, pulley systems can be understood by
analyzing either the forces acting on the system or the work performed on and by the
system. In this experiment you will investigate several pulley systems.

Figure 3 Simple Pulley

III. PROCEDURE
Simple Machines – The Lever
a. Equipment
No Quantity Name
1 1 Statics Board
2 1 Mounted spring scale
3 1 Mass and hanger set
4 1 Balance arm and protactors
5 1 Large pulley
6 1 Thread
7 1 Pencil or dry erase marker pen

b. Laboratory Setup
1. Put a Protractor at each end of the Balance Arm beam and mount the Balance
Arm on the Statics Board with the beam centered in the pivot.

Figure 4 Experiment setup

2. Mount a Large Pulley and Spring Scale at one end of the Balance Arm and
use thread to connect the Spring Scale to the Protractor on the Balance Arm.
3. Use thread to hang a mass hanger from the other Protractor and add 200 g of
mass to the hanger.
4. Adjust the Large Pulley and the Spring Scale so that the Balance Arm beam
is horizontal and level.
5. Make and record the necessary measurements to show that the torques
produced by the Spring Scale and the weight of the Hanging Mass are
balanced.
6. Use a pencil or dry erase marker pen to outline the base of the Spring Scale
and the position of the top of the Hanging Mass on the Statics Board.
7. Slowly push the Spring Scale upward. (If you perform this movement slowly
enough, the reading on the Spring Scale will not vary appreciably.)
 8. Mark the new positions of the Hanging Mass and the Spring Scale.
9. Measure and record the distances, d1 (distance Hanging Mass moved) and d2
(distance Spring Scale moved). Also record F 2, the reading on the Spring
Scale, and M1 and W1, the mass and weight of the Hanging Mass.
10. Move the protractor with the hanging mass to a new location about halfway
to the pivot point and repeat the experiment. Measure and record the new
values for d1, d2, and F2.

Figure 5 Raise the spring scale

Calculations
1. Calculate and record the work done on the system as you raised the Spring
Scale, where Work = F2d2.
2. Calculate and record the change in potential energy of the Hanging Mass as it
was raised in the Earth’s gravitational field, where ΔEpotential = M1gd1 and g =
9,8 N/kg.

Extensions
3. The type of lever that has the fulcrum between the load (hanging mass) and the
applied force (Spring Scale) is called a Class I Lever. A Class II Lever has the
load between the fulcrum and the applied force, and the Class III lever has the
applied force between the fulcrum and the load.
4. A wheelbarrow is an example of a Class II Lever, and the human forearm is an
example of a Class III Lever.
 Figure 6 Class II Lever

Figure 7 Class III Lever

5. When a lever is in equilibrium, the sum of the clockwise torques about the
pivot point (fulcrum) is equal to the sum of the counterclockwise torques about
the pivot point.
6. Make and record the measurements that are necessary to determine if the sum
of the clockwise torques equals the sum of the counterclockwise torques for the
Class II and Class III levers. Will you need to take the mass of the protractors
and the mass of the Balance Arm beam into account?
Simple machines - The Inclined Plane
a. Equipment
No Quantity Name
1 1 Static Board and pulley
2 1 Mounted spring scale
3 1 Mass and hanger set
4 1 Inclined plane and mass cart
5 1 Thread
6 1 Pencil or dry erase marker pen

b. Laboratory Setup
1. Put a 100 g mass on the peg of the Mass Cart and use the Spring Scale to
measure the total weight, W, of the cart plus mass.

Figure 8 Experiment setup

2. Put the Inclined Plane on the Statics Board at a relatively small angle (such
as 15°). Put a Pulley and the Spring Scale on the board near one end of the
Inclined Plane. Put the Mass Cart on the Inclined Plane and use thread to
connect the end of the Mass Cart to the Spring Scale.
3. Measure and record the magnitude of the force, F1, exerted by the Spring
Scale on the Mass Cart, and the angle θ of the Inclined Plane.
4. Use a pencil or dry erase marker pen to outline the base of the Spring Scale
on the Statics Board.
5. Slowly raise the Spring Scale – slowly enough that there is no appreciable
change in the reading on the Spring Scale.
6. Measure and record the distance, d1, that the Spring Scale pulled the Mass
Cart.
 Figure 9 measuring d1
Calculations
7. Calculate and record the height that the Mass Cart was lifted as it was pulled
up the Inclined Plane by the Spring Scale.

Figure 10 Calculate height

8. Calculate and record the amount of work done by the Spring Scale.
9. Calculate and record the change in gravitational potential energy of the Mass
Cart.
Procedure 2
1. Carefully hang the Mass Cart plus the 100 g mass from the Spring Scale. Record
the force, F2, exerted by the Spring Scale.
2. Slowly push the Spring Scale straight up a distance, d 1 sin θ the height to which
the Mass Cart was raised when it was on the Inclined Plane. (Raise the Spring
Scale slowly so that there is no appreciable change in the reading of the Spring
Scale.)

Figure 11 Raise the mass cart

Calculations on procedure 2
3. Calculate and record the amount of work that was done on the Mass Cart by
lifting it straight up by a distance of d1 sin θ.
4. Calculate and record the change in gravitational potential energy of the Mass
Cart.
 Simple Machines – The pulley
a. Equipment
No Quantity Name
1 1 Static Board
2 1 Double pulley block
3 1 Mass and hanger set
4 1 Thread
5 1 pulley
6 1 Mounted spring scale

b. Laboratory Setup
1. The effects of friction are more noticeable in this experiment than with the lever
or the inclined plane. Start by investigating the effects of friction in the pulleys.
2. Put 200 g of mass on a mass hanger and use the Spring Scale to measure the total
weight, W, of the mass hanger plus mass. Record your measurement.
3. Put the Spring Scale and two Pulleys on the Statics Board as shown and use
thread to attach the Spring Scale to the hanging mass. Record the reading of the
force, F, on the Spring Scale.

Figure 12 Equipment setup

4. How does the force reading, F, on the Spring Scale for the pulley setup compare
to the weight, W, of the hanging mass?
5. Set up each of the three pulley systems shown below. For each pulley system,
perform work on the system by slowing raising the Spring Scale. Measure and
record the following:

Symbo Description Symbol Description

l
F Force reading on the Spring Scale d2 Distance that the hanging mass is raised

W/F Ratio of weight of hanging mass to force Work Work done by raising the Spring Scale (F x d1)

d1 Distance that the Spring Scale is raised ΔE Change in gravitational potential energy (W x d2)

6. Use a pencil or dry erase marker pen to outline the base of the Spring Scale. Also
mark the position of the top of the hanging mass.

Figure 13 Pulley system

7. Slowly raise the Spring Scale – slowly enough that there is no appreciable
change in the reading on the Spring Scale.
8. Measure and record the distance, d1, that the Spring Scale was raised. Also
measure and record the distance, d2, that the hanging mass was raised.
 IV. Experiment Data

Simple machines – the lever

Table 1
Class I data
Item Trial 1 Trial 2 Item Trial 1 Trial 2
Distance hanging mass moved d1 0.01 m 0.025 m Mass of hanging mass, M1 0.05 Kg 0.1 Kg
0.4905 0.981
Distance hanging mass moved d2 0.01 m 0.025 m Weight of hanging mass, W1
N N
Force of spring scale, F2 0.6 N 1N

Table 2
Class I calculations
Trial Work Change of potential energy
1 0.006 J 0.004905 J
2 0.025 J 0.024525 J

Table 3
Class II & Class III data
Item Class II Class III Item Class II Class
III
0.05
Distance Lcm 0.16 m 0.17 m Load, M1 0.02 Kg
Kg
0.1962 0.4905
Distance L1 0.155 m 0.17 m Weight of load, W1
N N
Distance L2 0.33 m 0.314 m Force of spring scale, F2 0.2 N 0.9 N

Table 4
Class II & Class III data on Extensions
Lever Σ Clockwise torque Σ counterclockwise torque Net torque
Class II 0.030411 Nm 0.66 Nm 0.35589 Nm counterclockwise
Class III 0.154017 Nm 0.153 Nm 0.001017 Nm clockwise
 Simple machines – the Inclined plane

Table 5
Procedure 1 data
Item Trial 1 Item Class II
Distance, d1
Mass, M 0.141 Kg 0.005m
1.38321
Weight, W Work = F1 d1 0.001 J
N
ΔE = Weight x height = 0.0017900054
Force of spring scale, F1 0.2 N
W d1 sin θ J
Angle, θ 15° Height, d1 sin θ 0.0012940952

Table 6
Procedure 2 data
Item Trial 1 Item Class II
0.141 Distance, d1
Mass, M 0.005m
Kg
1.38321 0.3882285677
Weight, W Work = F d = F2 d1 sin θ
N J
ΔE = Weight x height = W 0.0017900054
Force of spring scale, F2 1.5 N
d1 sin θ J
Angle, θ 15°
 Simple machines – the Pulley
Table 7
Setup data
Item Setup Item Setup
Mass 0.2 Kg Force, F 1.9 N

Weight, W 1.962 N

Table 8
Experiment data
System W F W/F d1 d2 Work ΔE
A 1.962 1N 1.962 0.023 0.023 0.023 0.045126
N m m J J
B 1.962 0.8 2.4525 0.014 0.01 0.0112 0.027468
N N m m J J
C 1.962 0.4 4.905 0.008 0.008 0.0032 0.015696
N N m m J J
V. Analysis

Simple machines – the lever

1. How did the work done on the system compare to the change in potential energy of the
system?

The work done on the system was slightly higher than the change in potential energy of
the system.

2. How does a lever make it easier to perform work, such as raising a heavy load? Explain
in terms of conservation of energy

Levers do not create energy. Levers convert a small force applied over a long distance
to a large force applied over a small distance. Work is the force times the distance, W =
Fd, so the total work done is the same with or without the lever.

3. For the Class II Lever, is the net torque equal to zero when the lever is in equilibrium?

The net torque for Class II Level should equal to zero when the lever is in equilibrium

4. For the Class III Lever, is the net torque equal to zero when the lever is in equilibrium?

The net torque for Class III Level should equal to zero when the lever is in equilibrium
Simple machines – the Inclined plane
1. How does the change in gravitational potential energy of the Mass Cart compare to
the work done by the Spring Scale?

The change in gravitational potential energy of the Mart Cart is correlating to the
work done by the Spring Scale, if the gravitational potential energy of the Mass Cart
increase, the work done by the Spring Scale also increase, and if the gravitational
potential energy of the Mass Cart decrease, the work done by the Spring Scale also
decrease.

2. How does the work done on the Mass Cart when it was on the Inclined Plane
compare to the work done when it was lifted directly by the Spring Scale?

The work done on the Mass Cart when it was on the Inclined Plane was significantly
smaller than the work done when it was lifted directly by the Spring Scale.

3. How does an inclined plane make it easier to perform work, such as raising a heavy
load? In other words, what is the advantage of using the inclined plane?

The advantage of using the inclined plane is less force needed to move an object up
the slope than if the object were lifted straight up.
Simple machines – the Pulley
1. How does the relationship of weight (W) and force (F) compare to the relationship of the
distance the Spring Scale was raised (d1) and the distance the hanging mass was raised
(d2)?

The relation of weight (W) and force (F) compare to the relationship of the distance the
Spring Scale was raised (d1) and the distance the hanging mass was raised (d2), the
weight is always the same but if the force decrease, the distance the Spring Scale was
raised (d1) and the distance the hanging mass was raised (d2) also decrease.

2. Compare the value of W/F to the number of threads that crosses the dotted line in the
figure of the pulley system.

The values of W/F increase if the number of threads that crosses the dotted line increase.
REFERENCES
[1] PASCO Scientific. [Online]. Instruction Manual and Experiment Guide for the PASCO
scientific model ME-9502. Available:
https://www.pasco.com/file_downloads/product_manuals/Basic-Current-Balance-
Manual-ME-9502.pdf December 07,2015 [February 11, 2015]