Roller+Coaster+Lab+(Aaron+and+Stephanie)

=Conservation of Energy on a Roller Coaster= Date of Publication (Date of Most Recent Edits)


 * Participants**: Aaron Locke, Stephanie Morse
 * Purpose**: The purpose of this lab is to examine how mechanical energy (kinetic and potential energy) can be changed by outside forces.
 * Lab Documents**: [[file:Roller Coaster.doc]]


 * Brief Description of Experiment**: This lab was based upon analysis of the energy on a rollercoaster model. The model was less than ten feet long, and represented a larger scale model. We used the rollercoaster, and a cart to help to calculate velocity, kinetic and potential energy. We did this by using the rollercoaster model and 30 different marked points along the track. We used these points in several different ways. We found the heights of each point by measuring from the table to the point. We found the time in seconds from the beginning of the track to the point by using stopwatches.


 * Data:**


 * Sample Calculations:** Describe or reproduce any calculations that are performed during the experiment (other than averaging). For this lab, you should show calculations for total velocity (if you used video analysis), potential energy, kinetic energy, and a calculation of one external force.
 * //Kinetic Energy// || KE = 1/2 x mass x velocity x velocity ||
 * //Potential Energy// || PEgravity = mass x gravity standard x height ||
 * //Mechanical Energy// || ME = KE + PE ||
 * //Work// || W = F x d OR W = ∆ KE ||
 * //Force// || Force Exerted (Friction) = Delta (Mechanical Energy) / Delta (Distance to Point) ||


 * Results**:

This lab was designed to observe how mechanical energy is effected and changed through outside forces. This lab was successful in the way that the changes in energy are visible through changes in the design and direction of the track. When we graphed the data of potential, kinetic, and mechanical energy, we can observe changes in energy through plotted points. The loops and waves recorded through the points reflect the actual roller coaster track. The turns and degrees of slopes on the actual track are reflected quite nicely onto the graph. The changes in the track effected the gravitational potential energy. Results were found by measuring height, mass, and speed. From these measurements, we used the calculated column tool on LoggerPro to help determine kinetic energy, potential energy, and mechanical energy.


 * Lab Questions**:



1. What external forces did you identify as removing energy from the roller coaster system? Into what form of energy do you think the mechanical energy was converted via these forces?

//We identified gravity has the major energy that removed energy from the roller coaster system. The cart went through loops and turns, and this caused an overall slowing of the cart. The mechanical energy was converted into gravitational potential energy.//

2. What external forces did you identify as adding energy to the roller coaster system? From what form of energy do you think the mechanical energy was converted via these forces?

//An external force that added energy to the system was the ramp that moved the cart forward using a motor. It brought the cart to the top of the roller coaster, giving the cart its maximum potential energy. The mechanical energy of the cart was being converted into a potential energy, simply because it brought the cart to the top, so it then made it's descent and brought it back to the ramp again, creating a cycle.//

3. Break the motion of the coaster into 4 pieces as described below. What fraction of the total mechanical energy from the top of the coaster was lost in:

0.55j - 0.354j = 0.196j 0.196j/0.55j = 0.356 = 35.6%
 * The first big drop?**

0.55j - 0.354j = 0.196j 0.196j/0.55j = 0.356 = 35.6%
 * The entrance to the loop?**

0.55j - 0.229 = 0.321j 0.321j/0.55j = 0.583 = 58.3%
 * The exit of the loop?**

0.55j - 0.135j = 0.415 0.415/0.55j = 0.754= 75.4%
 * The back turn?**

At what point in the motion of the roller coaster was mechanical energy being dissipated (lost from the system) most quickly with respect to distance traveled? How about with respect to time?

//Taking under consideration both distance traveled and time, mechanical energy was lost from the system the fastest right after the large drop at the end of the ramp, and as the cart entered the loop.//


 * Conclusion**:

The purpose of this lab was to examine how mechanical energy can be changed by outside forces. Overall I feel that the experiment produced reproducible results that showed that forces like gravity and friction change mechanical energy, although throughout the process of collecting results there was some human error. Considering everyone in the class divided up the measurements and data collecting that would explain the cause for some error, it is hard enough to collect data individually without lots of error but when you have fourteen people doing that it is even more difficult. One improvement that I would suggest is that if we were able to do this again would be to have one person take all the measurements, that way there would be more consistency in the way the results were collected.

Hartford Physics - Roller Coaster Lab (Aaron and Stephanie)