Experiment No.

2
Running Stairs
Group No.___

MATERIALS:
 Ruler or meter stick/tape measure
 Weighing scale
 Stopwatch
 String

Safety Alert!
1. Use caution when running up the stairs.
2. Do not skip any steps. Step on each one as you climb the stairs.
3. Be sure your shoestrings are securely tied.

PROCEDURE:
1. Stand on a weighing scale to find your mass.
2. Find a stairway with a vertical height of at least one floor.
3. Measure the stairway height in meters by attaching a weight to a string and lowering it from the top of the stairs to
the bottom. Measure the string length with the tape measure/ ruler or meter sticks.
4. Have someone stand at the top of the stairs with a stopwatch to measure the time it takes you to climb the stairs
from bottom to top. Timing should begin the moment your foot touches the first step. Use caution while climbing the
steps, and be sure to step on each step as you travel up the stairs.
5. Record the time it takes for every member of the group to run from the bottom of the stairs to the top in the
appropriate space.

DATA TABLE
Group Member Mass (kg) Weight (N) Time (s) Work Power (J/s)

Guide Questions: (Individual)

1. If your potential energy is zero when you are on the ground level, what is your potential energy when you reach the
top of the stairs?
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2. How would the work done against gravity change if you ran up the stairs in:
a. half the time? Justify your answer.
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b. twice the time? Justify your answer.
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3. How would your power level change if you ran up the stairs in :
a. half the time? Justify your answer.
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b. twice the time? Justify your answer.
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