Lab #6 – Calculating Work pt. 1

Lab #6 – Calculating Work pt. 1

Work = Force x distance

Work = (Force)(distance)

W = Fd

Problem

How is the force needed to lift an object and the distance that object travels related to the amount of work done on the object?

Hypothesis

Materials

Ruler

Chair

Ramp

Object

Object with added mass

Spring scale

Triple Beam Balance

Procedure A

1.         Measure the distance in cm from the floor to the chair’s seat.  Record your data in the Distance column of your Results.

2.         Attach the wood block to the spring scale and pull it the distance from the floor to the chair’s seat.  Record the force that the wood block pulled on the spring scale into your Force column.

3.         Repeat this experiment with the Weight (300 g) and record your data.

4.         Use the work formula to calculate the amount of Joules for the object and the object with added mass and place into the appropriate column.

Results A

Work done without ramp

Object	Force (Newtons)	Distance (cm)	Work (Joules)
Object	________ N	_____cm	_______J
Object with added mass

Independent Variable = ___________________

Dependent Variable = ___________________

Constants = _____________________________________

Procedure B

1. Use your ramp to make an inclined plane from the floor to the chair’s seat and measure the length of the ramp; record this into the Distance column of your Results.
2. Attach the wood block to the spring scale, and pull it from the floor to the chair ’s seat up the ramp.  Record the force that the wood block pulled on the spring scale into your Force column.
3. Repeat this experiment with the Weight (300 g) and record your data.
4. Use the work formula to calculate the amount of Joules for the wood block and the weight (300 g) and place into the appropriate column.

Results B

Work done with ramp

Object	Force (Newtons)	Distance (cm)	Work (Joules)
Object
Object with added mass

Independent Variable = ___________________

Dependent Variable = ___________________

Constants = _____________________________________

ANALYSIS

1.          How did the weight (force) affect the amount of work done on the object?

2.          How did the distance affect the amount of work done on the object?

3.          Compare/Contrast the work done between using the ramp and not using the ramp.

4.          In which trial was the most work done?  In which trial was the least work done?  Explain.

5.          Compare the Force (Newtons) from your “object” in Procedure A with your “object” in Procedure B.  Which was easier? i.e. less force used to pull up

6.          Compare the Force (Newtons) from your “object with added mass” in Procedure A with your “object with added mass” in Procedure B.  Which was easier? 

7.          In these comparisons, what are your independent and dependent variables, and your constants?

Conclusion

(Write a summary of your experiment.  Was your hypothesis right?  What did you learn?  What could you do next time?  Was it fun?  How is this related to what we are learning in class?)