Josue Legra

Lab Partners: Dushyant Singh, George Varghese, Mohsen Naqvi

PHYS 111A-005
Yi Chai
September 19, 2016
Lab 6: Work and Energy
OBJECTIVES/ INTRODUCTION

To demonstrate the work-energy theorem by measuring the work done on an object by a

constant force and the kinetic energy of the object

To understand how the total work on the object changes the object's energy

To understand the mechanical advantage of a pulley system by measuring force,

displacement, and work in two different pulley systems

In daily life, physical work can be defined as the amount of physical effort in order to achieve a
physical change over the time of the effort being made. In physics, when a force (F) acts on an
object and the object experiences a change in position (displacement, s), it is said that the force
does the work on the object and the quantity W is defined as

1. W = F s = Fs cos
, where is the angle between the force and displacement vectors> Where the direction of a
force is same as that of a displacement ( is 0), work W in Eq. (1) becomes

(2) W = Fs
Work is a scalar quantity with an SI unit of J (Joule), this is the same unit as for energy. The unit
of work is the product of the unit of force and the unit of displacement (1 J = 1 N m).
The work energy theorem states that the work done by the net force on an object equals the
change in the objects kinetic energy:

(3) W = F s = KE = KE - KE
net

net

, where s is a displacement between positions x and x . In Eq. (3); KE and KE represent kinetic
1

energy (KE = 1/2mv ) at positions x and x respectively (refer to Figure 1).

2

In this lab, the group used a frictionless air-track system to demonstrate the work-energy theorem
by determining the work done on a glider and change in its kinetic energy as it is pulled by a
constant force on a horizontal and an inclined air-track. The group will see the difference in
work-energy relation between horizontal and inclined cases. In addition, the group will
investigate work in two different pulley systems to understand the mechanical advantage of each
system.
In the horizontal air-track system as shown in Figure 1, net force (Fnet) acting on the glider
(object) in the direction of motion is tension (T). The net work Wnet is equal to the work done by
the tension (W ). From the measurements of tension (T), displacement (s) and velocity (v) at each
T

position, the group will compute work and kinetic energy between the two positions and
demonstrate the work-energy theorem.
In the inclined air-track system as shown in Figure 2, net force (Fnet) in the direction of motion
(moving up direction) is
(4) Fnet = T - Mg sin
, where T, M and represent tension, mass of the object and inclined angle, respectively. Works
W , W and W
net

Mg sin

done on the glider by each force in equation (4) over a displacement

= x - x ) are expressed as:

1

(5) W = F s= F (x - x )
net

net

net

(6) W = T s= T (x - x )
T

(s

(7) W

Mg sin

= Mg sin s= Mg sin (x - x )
2

According to the work-energy theorem, therefore, net work W for the inclined air track system
net

(8) W = W - W

becomes

net

Mg sin

= KE

Since only tension (T) among the forces is a measurable quantity with use of a force sensor and
hence W , it is practically useful to rewrite equation (8) as:
T

(9) W = W + W
T

net

Mg sin

= KE + W

Mg sin

The height (h) of the glider at a position (x) in Figure 2 is x sin and hence equation (7)
becomes:

(10) W

Mg sin

= Mg sin (x - x) = Mgh Mgh =PE PE = PE

2

where PEi represents potential energy at a height hi. Accordingly work (WT) done by the tension
is:

(11) W = KE +PE
T

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
Apparatus List:
Computer with Capstone software installed, 850 Universal interface, Force
sensor, Rotary motion sensor, Air track with an air supply, Glider set (a glider, 50-g weights
(x1) and a hook), Strings (white one for Part 1 and yellow for part 2), Wooden block, Single
sheave pulley (x2), Weight set, Weight hanger, Long steel rod, Table clamp, Right angle
clamps, L-shape aluminum rod, Protractor, 1-m stick in front of a lab counter, electronic
balance on a lab counter.
PROCEDURES
Part 1-1: Work-Energy in a Horizontal Air - Track System with a Constant Force

1. Weigh the glider with a hook and two (or four) 50-g weights and record its value in
Table 1-1 in Data Table section. Connect the string to the hook of the glider.
2. Add 100g weight to the weight hanger.
3. Log in to the lab computer using your UCID and password.
4. Connect the force sensor to PASPort1 input on 850 Universal Interface.
5. Connect the rotary motion sensor to PASPort2 input on the interface.
6. Press the power push button on the left front corner of the interface. The green
LED indicator below the power push button should be lit up.
7. Open Lab 6 Work and Energy file in Physics 111A Lab Experiments folder on
the desktop window. Go to Part 1: Measurement in the software window.
8. Press zero button on the force sensor with no force applied.
9. Turn on the air supply and adjust the airflow rate to make a frictionless condition.
10. Put the glider at a starting position (far away from the rotary motion sensor) and
hold it.
11. Click RECORD button on the bottom of the software screen and then release the
glider. The software will record data of position, velocity and force over time while
the glider moves.
12. In the measurement page, collect 5 different data of position (x ), velocity (v ), and
i

force (F ) using Add a coordinates tool on the toolbar on the top of the graph.
i

Record these data in Table 1-1.

13. With the data obtained in step 12, complete Table 1-2.
Part 1-2: Work and Energy in an Inclined Air - Track System with a Constant Force
1. Measure the inclined angle using a protractor and record in Table 2-1 in Data Table

section.
2. Follow steps 1 to 12 in the procedure of Part 1.
3. In the measurement page, collect 5 different data of position (x ), velocity(v ), and
i

force (F ) using Add a coordinates tool on the toolbar on the top of the graph.
i

Record these data in Table 1-1.

13. With the data obtained in step 12, complete Table 1-2.
Part 1-2: Work and Energy in an Inclined Air - Track System with a Constant Force
1. Measure the inclined angle using a protractor and record in Table 2-1 in Data Table
section.
2. Follow steps 1 to 12 in the procedure of Part 1.
3. In the measurement page, collect 5 different data of position (x ), velocity (v ), and
i

force (Fi) using Add a coordinates tool on the toolbar on the top of the graph.
Record these data in Table 2-1.
4. With the data obtained in step 12, complete Table 2-2.
RESULTS
Mass of Glider = 0.2893 kg
Inclined angle () = 7 degrees
Table 1-1: Work and Energy in a frictionless horizontal system with a constant force:
Experimental Data
Position

X [m]

V [m/s]
i

F [N]

0.013

0.22

0.734

0.087

0.61

0.734

0.228

1.01

0.749

0.438

1.39

0.719

Table 1-2: Work and Energy in a frictionless horizontal system with a constant force:
Calculation
Position change
(i f)

s= xf, - xi
[m]

KEi= mvi2
[J]

W=Fs
[J]

KEf= mvf2
[J]

KE = KEf - KEi

%
Diff

[J]

12

0.074

0.05431
6

0.007

0.0538

0.0468

13.8

23

0.141

0.10349
4

0.0538

0.147557

0.093757

9.41

34

0.21

0.15729

0.147557

0.279478

0.137921

12.3

14

0.425

0.30557
5

0.007

0.279478

0.272478

4.31

Table 2-1: Work and Energy in a frictionless inclined system with a constant force:
Experimental Data
Position

X [m]

V [m/s]

F [N]

0.153

0.62

0.822

0.238

0.76

0.822

0.341

0.90

0.822

0.462

1.04

0.793

Table 2-2: Work and Energy in a frictionless inclined system with a constant force:
Calculation
Position
change
(i f)

s= xf, - xi
[m]

W=Fs
[J]

KE = KEf - KEi
[J]

PE = Mg h
[J]

E =
KE+ PE

%
Diff

[J]

12

0.085

0.06987

0.027947

0.0293689

0.0573159

18

23

0.103

0.084666

0.033617

0.035588

0.069197

30.4

34

0.121

0.099462

0.03929

0.0418075

0.0810975

16.5

14

0.309

0.245037

0.1008

0.4551665

0.4463116

128.4

Graphs for Parts 1 and 2

DISCUSSION
For the first part of the experiment it is obvious that the percent difference is not as high
as the second part of the experiment. But many factors can play in the reason the percentages, or
at least one of the percentages, were so off. Equipment failure is the most probable cause for
these numbers. Unfortunately, our group took twice as long because we had to replace our force
sensor because it was uncalibrated and was not registering the appropriate results. Another factor
that may have affected out percent could have been that the group forgot to reset the force sensor
back to zero after every trial. This can significantly impact our results in the end. And lastly,
maybe our group inserted the incorrect information into the computer for part 2. Maybe a slight
difference in the angle input may affect the results in the end.
CONCLUSION
This lab demonstrated the use of the work-energy theorem by using a physical
application. Measuring the values of a glider moving down a frictionless air track. Although the
results did not come as accurate as the theorem, many factors justified our results. But all
together this experiment demonstrated how the total work on an abject changes its energy.