Chris Maloney

Patrick Army

Fatima Shirazi

Robert Auciello

Andrew Knight

Kinetic Energy and Sustainability Experiment Outline

Goal: The goal of our experiment is to better understand the relationship between potential and kinetic energy. After conducting our experiment we will use our findings- based on the weight and size of the marbles, distance rolled and the speed to educate the students on potential and kinetic energy.

Materials being used: Four different sized marbles, 3 different heights of the wooden ramp, a ruler, a small cardboard box used for height, a Tropicana orange juice carton and an ultra-sonic sensor to measure distance and speed.

Steps:

1)    Set up the cardboard box and align it with the wooden ramp.

2)    Cut off the top of the orange juice carton and place it in front of the end of the ramp, with the ruler lying parallel to the juice carton.

3)     Take three trials with different size marbles and heights, and use the sensor to record each movement of the marbles. (This step is completed 3 times and we will show the audience how to properly use the sensor to receive accurate scoring.)

4)     During the experiment we will explain to class the potential energy (when we hold the marble at top of ramp) and when that energy is turned into kinetic energy (when it is let go). We will also do a practice run to allow the students to ask questions and if there is any confusion to aide at that time so the experiment runs smoothly. The kinetic energy is then transferred into the orange juice carton, resulting in the movement of the carton. We will then record the distance of the carton for each trial and use our data collected from the trials to better inform the class on kinetic energy.

Lab Handout

1. Title:  Potential and Kinetic Energy
2. Purpose:  To find the Kinetic Energy of the marble once it is rolled down the ramp into the carton.
3. Background:  Potential Energy is when an object is at rest.  It turns into Kinetic Energy when the object is put in motion.  Kinetic energy is measured by ½ mv^2.
4. Setup:  We are going to use 4 different size marbles, a wooden ramp, and orange juice carton, and a ruler for this exercise.

Procedure:  The first step is to roll the different size marbles from the top of the ramp (60 cm) and measure the distance each marble makes the juice carton move.  Then we do the same thing for each marble except at a 40 cm distance not 60 cm.  Lastly, we repeat the process at the 20 cm mark of the ramp and conclude our findings.  This allows us to make a graph seeing how kinetic energy relates to our findings.

1. Data/Chart

Analysis:

a.  Find Kinetic Energy (1/2 mv^2)

b.  How does this experiment relate to energy?

c.  Make a graph showing the difference between each height/distance each marble traveled.

d.  How does sustainability relate to our environment today?