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The document summarizes a lab experiment to test the law of conservation of energy. The experiment involves dropping a tennis ball from a balcony and measuring the loss of potential energy as it falls to the ground. Students would record the height of the balcony, mass of the ball, and time of fall over multiple trials. They would then calculate the potential and kinetic energy changes and compare the results to determine if total mechanical energy was conserved during the fall. Key steps involved measuring variables, performing calculations of energy values, and analyzing the results to conclude whether energy was conserved in this scenario.

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shehran
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17 views

Dont Open

The document summarizes a lab experiment to test the law of conservation of energy. The experiment involves dropping a tennis ball from a balcony and measuring the loss of potential energy as it falls to the ground. Students would record the height of the balcony, mass of the ball, and time of fall over multiple trials. They would then calculate the potential and kinetic energy changes and compare the results to determine if total mechanical energy was conserved during the fall. Key steps involved measuring variables, performing calculations of energy values, and analyzing the results to conclude whether energy was conserved in this scenario.

Uploaded by

shehran
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DATE: 02/02/23

LAB #5

TITLE: Conservation of mechanical energy

AIM: To discover if total mechanical energy is constant for a falling object (that is: loss of potential
energy (ΔEp) = gain of kinetic energy (ΔEk).

APPARATUS/ MATERIALS: Balcony, lawn tennis ball, 10 meter tape, stopwatch, balance

DIAGRAM:

METHOD: (write in past tense)

1. Measure and record (in metres) the height (h) of the top of the balcony from the ground.
2. Use the balance to find the mass (m) of the ball. Record (m) in kg.
3. Position the student with the ball on the balcony and the student with the stopwatch on the
ground.
4. The student on the balcony must record the time (t) taken by the ball to fall to the ground.
5. Repeat 5 times and find the average.
6. Calculate the loss of potential energy (ΔEp)
7. Calculate the loss of kinetic energy.
RESULTS:

 Height (h) from balcony to ground =_______inches =______ metres


 Mass (m) of tennis ball=______grams=______kg

Number of falls Time


1
2
3
4
5
Average time =

CALCULATION:
1. The loss in potential energy (ΔEp)
ΔEp =mgh where:- m= mass of ball
g= gravitational field strength= 10ms-2
h= height from balcony to fall

2. v=gt avg where v= speed


g = 10ms-2
tavg = average time

3. Gain in kinetic energy (ΔEk).


ΔEk = ½ mv2

Where:- m = mass of ball

v= speed

DISCUSSION (do not write questions. Answer in paragraph form)

1. What is kinetic energy?


2. What is potential energy?
3. What is conservation of energy?
4. Write down the energy transformation that occurred in this experiment.
5. State and explain 2 factors that occurred in the experiment that caused (ΔEp) to be different
from (ΔEk).
6. Do you think that air resistance could account for a large error in time?
PRECAUTIONS

1. Ensure that the measuring tape was read at eye level to prevent parallax error.
2. Ensure that the balance scale is zeroed for each mass of ball taken.

CONCLUSION:

According to the experiment done, the loss of potential energy (was/ was not/ was approximately) equal
to the gain of kinetic energy. Therefore total mechanical energy (was/ was not) conserved for a falling
object.

LOOK AT YOUR RESULTS AND CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE ANSWER.

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