Download Conservation of Mechanical Energy Lab Name Materials: Computer

Conservation of Mechanical Energy Lab
Name ____________________________________
Materials:


Computer
Red and Blue Color Pencils
Procedure:
1. Go to the following website:
http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/mck05_int_rollercoaster/ . A screen will appear
similar to the picture below.
2. Click on the step button. Numbers will appear on the screen and the roller coaster car
will move to Location 1: top of the first hill.
3. Record the velocity of the car and fill in the pie graph in your data table to represent
how much of the Mechanical Energy is Kinetic Energy and Gravitational Potential
Energy.
4. Click on the step button. The car will move to Location 2: the bottom of the first Hill.
Record the velocity of the car and fill in the pie graph in your data table.
5. Continue hitting the step button and recording the data for each of the six locations.
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Data Table:
Location Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
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Description of
Location
Car’s Velocity
(m/s)
Percentage of
Mechanical
Energy
Questions:
1. How much of the total Energy is Potential Energy at Position One?
2. At position 2, how much of the Potential Energy from Position 1 was transferred to
Kinetic Energy?
3. At Positions 3 and 4, the roller coaster car was at a height between position 1 and 2.
How did the Kinetic Energy at position 3 compare to the Kinetic Energy at position 4?
Explain using relative heights and the velocities at each position.
4. The percentage of Total Energy of the roller coaster car at Positions 2 and 5 was equal
with 100% of the Energy being in the form of Kinetic Energy. Explain why the velocities
of the roller coaster car was not the same?
5. Based on your answer to number 4, was Mechanical Energy conserved in the
investigation? If not, was Energy lost or gained and in what form? What force would
have caused the change in Energy?
Phase II-Visit the website below and answer the questions on the back of your paper.
http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/coaster.html
Or go to Google search amusement park physics design your own rollercoaster
Click on design your own rollercoaster and the Begin button-Remember to draw your
rollercoaster design as you go
1) How high of a first hill did you select? Why?
2) Reading-What is the relationship of the height of the first hill and the speed of the
roller coaster?
3) Reading-What does the shape of the first hill determine?
4) What shape of the first hill did you choose? Why?
5) What exit path did you choose? Why
6) Reading-What is speed directly related to in terms of the exit path?
7) What second hill did you choose?
8) What loop did you choose for your roller coaster? Why did you choose it?
9) Did your roller coaster meet the safety regulations? Why or Why not.
10) Label your rollercoaster in terms of both potential and kinetic energy.
If time remains go back and modify your rollercoaster design so that it passes the safety
rating and Fun Rating
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