Answer Happy

Trial 1 2 3 Investigation A: Energy of a Rolling Cart Purpose: To observe the motion of a cart on an incline and verify that mechanical energy is conserved as it moves down the incline. Materials: Ramp, cart, motion detector, books to prop up the ramp Procedure: 1) Set up your station as shown in the diagram below. 2) Hold the cart about 10 cm from the motion detector. Using a meter stick, measure the initial vertical distance from the desk to the center of the cart (this is htop in the diagram). Record this value in the data table for trial 1 below. Cart mass= h, (m) 0.15 0.155 0.145 hf (m) 0.255 kg vf (m/s) 1.056 1.478 0.1 0.095 0.105 2.006 3) Hit the collect button to begin recording data. Let the cart go, then catch it at the bottom of the ramp. After you catch the cart, don't move it! Hold the cart in place and measure the final vertical distance from the desk to the center of the cart (this is hbottom in the diagram). Record this value in the data table. E, (J) Ef (J) 4) Look at your velocity vs. time graph. Try to identify the time just before you caught the cart at the bottom of the ramp. Read the speed off of the graph (this is vf), and record your value in the data table m/s 5) Measure the mass of your cart. Record this value in the data table 6) You let your cart go at the top of the ramp, without giving it an initial push in either direction. This means your initial speed is % difference between initial and final energy
7) Calculate the initial potential energy of your cart using the formula PEi= mghi. Here, hi is the initial height of the cart measured relative to the desk and g = 9.8 m/s2. Show your calculation below. 8) You let your cart go at the top of the ramp, without giving it an initial push in either direction. This means your initial kinetic energy is KE= J 9) Calculate the initial mechanical energy of your cart E, PE, +KE,. Show your calculation below. Record your result in the data table. 10) Calculate the final potential energy of your cart using the formula PE(f) = mgh(f). Here, hf is the final height of the cart measured relative to the desk. Show your calculation below. Record your result in the data table 11) Calculate the final kinetic energy of your cart using the formula KE(f) = (1/2)mv(f)². Here, v(f) is the final speed of the cart, just before you caught it at the bottom. Show your calculation below. Record your result in the data table.
12) Calculate the final mechanical energy of your cart E(f) = PE(f) + KE(f). Show your calculation below. Record your result in the data table. 13) Calculate the percent difference between E(i) and E(f). Show your work calculation in the space below and record your result in the data table. Was mechanical energy conserved as the cart rolled down the ramp? What might have caused a loss of mechanical energy? Explain below. %diff E(f) - E(i)|/Eav Eav = [E(f) - E(i)] / 2
14) We will now change the setup for trial # 2. Increase the angle of your incline by adding another book at the detector end of the track. Repeat steps 2-13 for your new setup. Show all of your calculations in the space below. 15) We will now change the setup for trial # 3. Increase the angle of your incline by adding another book at the detector end of the track. Repeat steps 2-13 for your new setup. Show all of your calculations in the space below.