Lab Report

I.Purpose

The purpose of this lab is to show how potential energy and kinetic energy is shown and transferred using a model rollercoaster. This lab also demonstrates the Law of Conservation of Energy.

II.Introduction

Potential and Kinetic energy have a very big relationship. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that “Energy cannot be destroyed or created, but can be transformed or transferred.” This lab will help demonstrate this law and show the conversion between Kinetic and Potential energy throughout the rollercoaster process.

III.Hypothesis

If the Law of Conservation of Energy says that energy can only be transferred or transformed and we release the ball bearing at it's max Potential Energy, then the Potential Energy will transform into Kinetic Energy as the bearing travels through the track.

IV.Materials 2 Four feet long pieces of insulation tubing 1 Ball bearing (mass=0.01kg) Film Canister (to catch ball bearing) Masking tape (1meter) Meter stick

V.Procedure

First, we planned out how we'll build the rollercoaster (how much Potential Energy we'll need to last the whole track). Next, we started building our rollercoaster. Then, we added loops in our rollercoaster to gain Potential Energy at the top of the loop. Now, we fully finished our rollercoaster We now test out the rollercoaster and see that the ball bearing goes through the whole track and all 9 loops we created. Take down our data Clean up

VI.Data and Results

VII.Conclusion

This lab has shown the conversion between Kinetic and Potential Energy. From the top of the rollercoaster was when the Ball bearing was at it's max Potential Energy. As the bearing travelled through the track it slowly transformed it's Potential Energy into Kinetic Energy abut as it hit each loop the bearing gained Potential Energry again. This proved our hypothesis of the bearing's energy being converted from Potential to Kinetic Energy as it travels down the track.