Lab 9 - Physics Virtual Energy-Transformations Lab PDF

Preview

Summary

Download Lab 9 - Physics Virtual Energy-Transformations Lab PDF

Description

Nancy Gonzales

Energy – Transformations Lab Purpose: The purpose of the lab is to see how changing the variables in one type of energy changes the variable in a different type of energy as we transform one energy into another. Does changing the spring constant in the Spring Potential Energy, change a variable in Kinetic Energy? For this lab you will be observing the conversion of elastic potential energy into kinetic energy. Theory: In an isolated system, the total mechanical energy remains constant. Mechanical energy is the sum of all kinetic energy and all potential energy. With a spring-mass system on a frictionless surface

( 1) ∆ K +∆ U s=0 ( 2) K f +U s ,f =K i +U s ,i 1 1 ( 3) mv 2 = k s x 2 2 2

Read all of the instruction on this page before opening the simulation!!!!!

The link to the Energy – Transformation Lab Simulation is below. https://sites.google.com/site/delseaphysics1/Home/other-topics/energy-conservation/energytransformations

When you open the link you will see the following page.

Nancy Gonzales

Below the image above is instructions to open the program. Once you open the simulations, this is the screen you will see.

Nancy Gonzales

Procedure: Before you begin the lab, you should become familiar with the simulation. Follow the steps in Part 1: Learning the Program. Fire Trevor several time to get use to starting and stopping the timer (found in the Neutral Zone). The velocity of Trevor is found by dividing the distance traveled by the time. This lab considers how changing one variable effects another. There are three parts to the lab. Part 1: How Mass affects velocity 1. Things kept constant: Keep the spring constant and the compression the same for all 5 trials. 2. Thing you switch: Change the mass, using 5 different masses. 3. Thing that varies: Calculate the velocity of Trevor for each trial. 4. Record your data: Velocity vs Mass. (Mass is the independent variable). 5. Use the Simulations Graphing Utility.

Consider the third equation in the Theory section at the start of the lab write up. What is the relationship between the thing you switched and the thing that varied? On your graph (use the Graphing utility inside the simulation), use the type of relationship you have determined. Does the line fit your data? As the mass increased the velocity decreased. Part 2: How spring constant affects velocity 1. 2. 3. 4.

Things kept constant: Keep the spring compression and the mass the same for all 5 trials. Thing you switch: Change the spring constant, using 5 different spring constants. Thing that varies: Calculate the velocity of Trevor for each trial. Record your data: Velocity vs Spring Constant. (Spring Constant is the independent variable). 5. Use the Simulations Graphing Utility.

Consider the third equation in the Theory section at the start of the lab write up. What is the relationship between the thing you switched and the thing that varied? On your graph (use the Graphing utility inside the simulation), use the type of relationship you have determined. Does the line fit your data? Part 3: How spring compression affects velocity 1. Things kept constant: Keep the spring constant and the mass the same for all 5 trials.

Nancy Gonzales

2. Thing you switch: Change the spring compression, using 5 different spring compressions. 3. Thing that varies: Calculate the velocity of Trevor for each trial. 4. Record your data: Velocity vs Spring Compression. (Spring Compression is the independent variable). 5. Use the Simulations Graphing Utility. Consider the third equation in the Theory section at the start of the lab write up. What is the relationship between the thing you switched and the thing that varied? On your graph (use the Graphing utility inside the simulation), use the type of relationship you have determined. Does the line fit your data?

Conclusions: 1. How does mass affect the velocity if the spring constant and compression are kept constant? What is the relationship between mass and velocity? Justify your answer using the third equation from the theory. At least two complete sentences. The mass affects the velocity because if we increase the mass the heavier it becomes and harder it is to push it across the ice. The relationship between mass and velocity is that velocity is dependent on the objects mass. 1 1 ( 3) mv 2 = k s x 2 2 2 2. How well does your graph (the best fit line) match your data? Snip the graph and attach to lab write up. At least two complete sentences. It matches my data. It shows with an increasing mass the velocity decreases. It also shows that when the mass, and spring constant stay the same and we increase the compression the velocity increases as the time decreases. Snips are below. 3. How does the spring constant affect the velocity if the compression and mass are kept constant? What is the relationship between spring constant and the velocity? Justify your answer using the third equation from the theory. At least two complete sentences It increases the velocity if the compression and mass are kept constant. If we increase the spring constant by 50 n/m each trial the velocity increased. When we have a stronger spring the mass will move more quickly for the smaller or shorter period. 4. How well does your graph (the best fit line) match your data? Snip the graph and attach to lab write up. At least two complete sentences. Snips are below. The graph showed that it was increasing the velocity when the compression and mass were kept constant. Per the graph below it had an increasing trendline.

Nancy Gonzales

5. How does the spring compression affect the velocity if the spring constant and the mass are kept constant? What is the relationship between spring compression and velocity? Justify your answer using the third equation from the theory. At least two complete sentences The velocity gradually increased as the mass and the spring constant remained constant. The tighter or higher the compression was for that specific trial the higher velocity it had. This is because more force was used to spring Trevor over the ice. 6. How well does your graph (the best fit line) match your data? Snip the graph and attach to lab write up. At least two complete sentences. The graph is below under trial 3. This showed that the velocity increased as the compression increased. The trendline is almost on target with my data as shown in the dotted line in trial 3’s graph....