EXPERIMENT 3(b): ENERGY

Course Learning Objective: Demonstrate manipulative skills during experiments in measurement and
uncertainty, free fall and projectile motion, energy, rotational motion of rigid body, simple harmonic
motionand standing waves in laboratory.
(P3, CLO 3, PLO 3, MQF LOC iii a)

Learning Outcomes:At the end of this lesson, students should be able to verify the law of
conservation of energy.

Student Learning Time (SLT):

Face-to-face Non face-to-face
2 hour 0

Theory:

Consider a steel ball of mass m, initially at rest at height h vertically above a velocity detector. By
taking the position of the velocity detector as the reference point, the potential energy is mgh and the
kinetic energy of the ball is zero. Thus the total initial energy E1of the steel ball is given by

E1 =mgh 3.1

When the steel ball is released, it falls freely with acceleration g.At the instance it reaches the velocity
detector, the gravitational potential energy is zero and its kinetic energy is 12 mv2. Hence the total final
energy E2of the steel ball is given by

E2= 1
2
mv2 3.2

According to the law of conservation of energy, in the absence of external force the total energy of a
system remains constant. In this case, the law is verified if we demonstrate experimentally that E1
equals E2, that is,

1
2 mv2=mgh

And we obtain

v2= 2gh 3.3

Consequently, if a graph of v2 against h is plotted, we should obtain a straight line curve passing
through the origin with gradient equals 2g.

Apparatus:

A steel ball
A metre ruler
A free fall adaptor
Velocity detector (Two photogates PG A and PG B)
A timer
A retort stand
Procedure:

_
_
_
_ free fall adaptor
ruler _
_
steel ball
_
_
_
_
_
_ h
_ sandwitched photogates
_
_
(velocity detector)
_
_ PG A
_
_
s
_ PG B
_
_
timer
_
_ 00.000000
_

Figure 3.1

1. Construct a velocity detector by sandwitching photogates (PG) A and Busing binding tape.
Measure the distance s between the photogates.

2. Set upthe apparatus as shown in Figure 3.1.

3. Switch ON the timer and reset to zero. Set the falling distance h at 15 cm. Release the steel ball
and record the time t. Repeat the process to obtain the average time.

4. Repeat step (3) for h = 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 cm.

s
5. Tabulate your data. For each value of h calculate the velocity v using v  .
t

6. Plot a graph of v2 against h.

7. Use the graph to determine the value of acceleration due to gravity g and compare the value of g
with the standard value.

8. Determine the uncertainty for the value of g obtained in (7).

9. Do the results of your experiment verify the law of conservation of energy? Write your
comments.