Experiment No.

4: Work, Energy, Power, & Efficiency

INTRODUCTION

Everyday man performs work; He walks, run, bikes, eats, or climbs a flight of stairs.
In doing work, something is being moved over a distance against a force. For instance,
when eating, the spoon is lifted to the mouth; when climbing, the entire weight of the
person is lifted up to the desired floor. In all these activities, man uses energy. Energy
is taken from the food he eats.
The concepts of work, energy, power, and efficiency on climbing a flight of stairs
will be tackled in this experiment.

OBJECTIVES

After performing this experiment, you should be able to

• determine the work done in going up a flight of stairs at normal and running
speed.
• measure the power generated in both speed.
• compute the energy food intake required to perform these activities based on the
efficiency of converting food energy to work output.

EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS NEEDED

• Ruler or meter stick

• Stopwatch or cell phone
• Bathroom scale

THEORY

In Physics, work is the product of the force applied on an object, F, and the
displacement the object has moved, d. If the direction of the force is parallel to the
direction of the displacement then work is express

𝑊 = 𝐹𝑑 (1)

The unit of work is Joule equivalent to N.m.

In climbing a flight of stairs at constant velocity, the force you exert is equal to
your weight and the displacement is the total height of the flight of stairs. In Figure 1, the
total height, H, of the flight of stairs can be calculated as product of the height of each
step, ℎ, and the number of steps, 𝑛.

pg. 1
 Figure 1. Flight of stairs
Thus

𝐻 = 𝑛ℎ (2)

Since the force exerted in climbing is the person’s weight and the displacement
is the total height H, then when climbing, work is

𝑊 = (𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑒𝑤𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑠) ∗ (𝐻 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠) = mgH (3)

The unit of work is a joule equivalent to newton*meter. Joule is the SI unit of both
work and energy.

The power one develops as he climbs depends on the amount of work done and
the total time in performing that work. Power is the time rate of doing work or energy is
expended.

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒
𝑃= (4)
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘

𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑑)
𝑃= (5)
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚

The SI unit of power is watt, equivalent to Joule per second.

Since time is essential in keeping one’s optimum power, then one has to perform
certain amount work as fast as possible. In this experiment you measure your power
output when climbing a flight of stairs at your normal pace and at your running pace.

How efficient is the human body in converting the food taken into useful work? It
varies from one activity to another. Apparently, the human body is considered the most
inefficient machine. Not all the energy intake is converted to work. A large fraction of the
energy is converted into thermal energy to maintain the body’s normal temperature and
the internal organs functioning.

pg. 2
 Thus,

𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑑) = 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 + 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 (6)

The efficiency of a person in converting food energy into climbing stairs is only
20%.

Efficiency is

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
𝐸𝑓𝑓(𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑔) = 𝑥 100 (7)
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒

Thus, in climbing,

𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 (𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑑) = (80%)𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 + (20%) 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑔

The thermal rate (power) of energy production is

𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
𝑃(𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙) = (8)
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑦

In climbing, the time to convert food in Eq. 4 is the same time to convert food to thermal
energy in Eq. 8. The thermal efficiency is therefore,

𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
𝐸𝑓𝑓(𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙) = 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑥 100 (9)

PROCEDURE

1. Look for a flight of stairs, at home or near your home. Measure the height of one step
using a ruler. It is better to measure three different steps, bottom step, middle step,
and uppermost step, and then calculate the average. Record the average height in
Table 1

2. Compute the total height 𝐻 of the flight of stairs using Eq. 2.

3. Measure your mass and weight using the bathroom scale. Record in Table 2.
4. With the stopwatch, ask any person in your home to take the time as you go up the
stairs in your normal speed, that is, when you are not in hurry.
5. Repeat this procedure but this time go up as if you are in a hurry. Record in Table 2.
6. Compute your work done using Eq. 3 and your power at your normal pace and
running pace Eq. 4. Record in Table 3.

pg. 3
Name: Delfin, Leila
Daniot, Joshua _ Date Performed: September 21, 2022
Subject: Physics Lab 3101L Schedule: Fri 10:30-1:30pm

Experiment No. 4. Work, Power, Efficiency

Worksheet

Table 1. Height of Stairs

height of each step (h) ___0.17______m

Number of steps (n) 9

Total height (H) __1.53______m

Table 2. Mass, Weight, and Time

Student Mass (kg) Weight (N) Time at Time at

normal speed running speed
(s) (s)
Leila 43 387 7.21 5.53
Joshua 51 499.8 6.42 5.12

Table 2. Work and Power

student Weight (N) Work(Joules) Power

Normal (watts) Running (watts)
Leila 387 592.1J 82.1W 107.1W
Joshua 499.8 764.7J 119.1W 149.4W

Calculations and Questions:

1. Which of the two activities, normal speed or running speed, in going up the stairs,
has the larger power output?
The table above demonstrates that the power production is greater when
one is running speed rather than the standard speed for ascending stairs.

2. Which activity is stressful? Why?

pg. 4
 In general, I find exercise unpleasant, but rushing up the stairs makes it
even harder for me to exercise. Breathing problems do not assist at all
because I am known to be ill.

3. Using the work output in your result, compute the number of joules of food energy
you should take in order to go up the stairs in your (a) normal speed and (b) running
speed. Note: Refer to Eq. 7 to answer this question.

a. Leila: Einput = W climbing / 0.20 = 592.1 J / 0.20 = 2,960.5 J

b. Joshua: Einput = Wclimbing / 0.20 = 764.7 J / 0.20 = 3,823.5 J

4. If only 20% of food intake is converted to climbing stairs, where does the 80% go
into?
Under one-fifth of the chemical potential energy used is put to good use
when efficiency is only 20%. This would have resulted in a 5x increase in
chemical potential energy over mechanical output. Additionally, the
remaining food consumed is converted into thermal energy to preserve a
normal body temperature and organ function.

5. Compute the thermal rate (power) of energy production when (a) climbing the
stairs with (a) normal speed and (b) when running. Use the times recorded. Refer
to Eq. 8.
Leila moves at a pace of P=TE/t.

Since TE is 80%, 2.960.5 J = 0.80 (2.80) = 2,368.4 J.

Pnormal is equal to 2,960.4 / 7.21s, or 410.6 watts.

Leila’s Pace of Running

Running power = 2,960.4 / 5.53s = 535.3 watts

P = TE / t represents Joshua’s average speed.

Since TE is 80%, 0.8(3,823.5 J) equals 3,058.8 J.

pg. 5
 Pnormal is equal to 3,058.8 J/6.42 watts.

Running speed for Joshua is P = TE / t.

Prunning is equal to 3,058.8 J/5.12, or 597.4 watts.

6. If you have greater weight than your partner and both of you climb at the same
time, who develops the greater power output, you or your partner?

A lighter partner would generate more electricity than a heavier

companion. Because the lighter partner can focus more of his or her
energy on the task at hand, the heavier partner will presumably expend
more of his or her energy to support his or her body weight. A person with
less mass may not exert the same force when executing a job that a
person with more mass does since work separated by time is force. As a
result, a person who weighs less will exert less power than a person who
weighs more.

7. Which of you has the larger force exerted?

The heavier person will need more force to complete the task because of
the burden that comes with being heavier.

8. A horsepower (hp) is a unit of power equivalent to 746 watts. How much hp have
you expended in climbing the flight of stairs? Show your calculation.

Leila:

Normal Speed:

Pnormal = Work / time normal

= 592.1 J/ 7.21 s = 82.1 watts

= 82.1 watts (1 hp / 746 watts)

= 0.11 hp

Running Speed:

Prunning = Work / time normal

= 592.1 J / 5.53 s = 107.1 watts

= 107.1 watts (1hp / 746 watts)

= 0.144 hp

pg. 6
 Joshua:

Normal Speed:

Pnormal = Work / time normal

= 764.7 J/ 6.42 s = 119.11 watts

= 119.11 watts (1 hp / 746 watts)

= 0.160 hp

Running Speed:

Prunning = Work / time normal

= 764.7 J / 5.12 s = 149.4 watts

= 149.4 watts (1hp / 746 watts)

= 0.200 hp

9. If you have taken an extra 4000 Cal (1 Cal = 4190 J) and you want to burn these
calories by climbing a flight of stairs, how long should you perform this activity?
Assume the same total height of stairs in this experiment.

Leila:

16,760,000 J/82.1 J/s = 204, 141s (normal speed) 16,760,000 J/107.1 J/s = 156,489s
(running speed)

Joshua:

16,760,000 J/119.16 J/s = 140,651s (normal speed) 16,760,000 J/149.4 J/s = 112,182s
(running speed)

pg. 7