Potential Energy Lab
Materials:
•Meter stick
•Tennis Ball
•Calculator
•Beam Balance
Procedure:
1.Measure the mass of the tennis ball on the balance and record. Mass =
_____________
2.Drop the tennis ball from a height of 2 meters. Record the distance the
ball bounces back to as Height 2.
3.Watch the ball and record the height the ball bounces to a 3rd time and
record as Height 3.
4.Repeat for Height 4, Height 5, or until the ball does not bounce.
Data:
Mass of Ball Height Potential Energy = mgh
1_________ 2 m. ___________________
2_________ _____ ___________________
3_________ _____ ___________________
4_________ _____ ___________________
5_________ _____ ___________________
Conclusion:
1.Graph the results of the ball drop by graphing the Height versus the
Potential Energy.
2.Define gravitational potential energy (page 245).
3.Define conservation of energy.
4.If the energy is conserved, why does the ball decrease in height every time?
Conservation of Energy
Materials:
•Meter stick
•Tennis Ball
•Calculator
•Stop Watch
Procedure:
5.Drop the tennis ball from a height of 2 meters and measure the time it takes
for the ball to hit the ground. Record the distance the ball bounces back to
as Height 2 and record the time.
6.Watch the ball and record the height the ball bounces to a 3rd time and
record as Height 3 and measure the time it take to hit the floor.
7.Repeat for Height 4, Height 5, or until the ball does not bounce.
Data:
Mass of Ball Height (d)Time Velocity (d/t) Kinetic Energy = ½ mv2
1_________ 2 m. _____ ______ ___________________
2_________ _____ _____ ______ ___________________
3_________ _____ _____ ______ ___________________
4_________ _____ _____ ______ ___________________
5_________ _____ _____ ______ ___________________
Conclusion:
1.Graph the trial number (1 - 5) on the y axis and the Kinetic energy on the x
axis.
2.Graph the trial number (1-5) on the y axis and the Potential energy (from
procedure 1) on the x axis.
3.Conservation of energy says the kinetic energy and the potential energy for
each trial should be equal. Does your data prove this theory? Explain why
your numbers are not exactly the same.