PRACTICAL TEST DP014

Experiment Energy
Objective To determine gravitational acceleration, g by using principle of conservation of
energy.

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 E1 of the steel ball is given by

E1 = mgh 1.1
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 . Hence the total final energy E2 of the steel ball is
given by

E 1.2

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,

= mgh
And we obtain
v2 = 2gh 1.3
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.

PDT SEMESTER 1 SESI 2020/2021_KOLEJ MATRIKULASI JOHOR 1

PRACTICAL TEST DP014

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

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PRACTICAL TEST DP014

Procedure

Figure 1.1

1. Construct a velocity detector by sandwitching photogates (PG) A and B

using binding tape. Measure the distance s between the photogates.
2. Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 1.1.
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.
4. Repeat step (3) for h = 20, 25, 30, 35, & 40 cm.
5. Tabulate your data. Record displacement, s. For each value of h calculate the

velocity v using
6. Plot a graph of v2 against h.

This paper consist of NINE (9) questions

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PRACTICAL TEST DP014

Answer ALL question

Data
1. Given that the displacement, 𝑠 = 3.0 cm. Copy and complete Table 1.
observation
and analysis
Height, 𝒉 Time taken, 𝒕 Velocity, 𝒗 𝒗𝟐
No. (±𝟎.𝟏 𝐜𝐦 )
(±𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟏 𝐬 ) (𝐜𝐦 𝐬−𝟏) (× 𝟏𝟎𝟒 𝐜𝐦𝟐 𝐬−𝟐)
𝒔
𝒗=
𝒕
1 15.0 0.016827 178.2849 3.18
2 20.0 0.014490 207.0393 4.29
3 25.0 0.013550 221.4022 4.90
4 30.0 0.012041 249.1287 6.21
5 35.0 0.011380 263.6204 6.95
6 40.0 0.011109 270.0513 7.29

Table 1
2. Determine the centroid.

3. Plot the graph v2 against h.

4. Calculate the gradient of the graph.

5. By using the gradient of the graph, calculate the gravitational acceleration, g.

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PRACTICAL TEST DP014

Discussion 6. State THREE precautions during this experiment.

I. _______________________________________________________
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II. _______________________________________________________
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III. _______________________________________________________
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7. Discuss TWO sources of error for this experiment.

I. _______________________________________________________
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II. _______________________________________________________
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8. Give ONE suggestion to improve this experiment in order to achieve better result.
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Conclusion:
9. State the conclusion for this experiment.

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