Experiment No.

4
Work. Power and Energy

OBJECTIVES:

1. To determine the work done against gravity when climbing the stairs.
2. To compute the power from the rate at which work is done.

MATERIALS and APPARATUS:

Weighing scale , stop watch, meter stick or meter tape

PROCEDURES:
1. Find the mass of each member of the group using a weighing scale (bathroom
scale).
2. Go to the nearest stairway. Measure the height of one step and the number of
steps to the 3rd floor. Record your measurements.
3. Individually, climb the stairs slowly and record the time taken to reach the third
floor.
4. Repeat procedure 3 but this time, at a faster speed and record the time.
5. Complete the calculations.

DATA and RESULTS:

Member’s Name Mass Weight Work Time Time Power Output Power Output
( kg) (N) done in taken taken (slow) (fast)
climbing while while hp kW hp kW
to 3rd climbing climbing
floor slowly faster
( J) (s) (s)
QUESTIONS:

1. How does your power output in climbing the stairs compare to the power output
of a 100-watt light bulb? If your power could have been harnessed and the
energy converted to electricity, how many 100-watt bulbs could you have kept
burning during your climb?

2. Two people climbed to the roof of a building. The old person walked up a gentle
ramp. The young person climbed up a steep spiral staircase. Which person did
more work? Explain.