E201: WORK, ENERGY AND POWER

PALERO JR., Dante M.

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this experiment is to understand
of work, power and energy and its relationship to
energy conservation. According to the law of
energy conservation, Energy is nor created nor
destroyed but is just changed from one to
another. We know that energy is the capacity to
do work. We can obtain energy in many forms
and transfer it in from object to another through
work. Power is used to measure the work done.
In this experiment, there are two activities to be
performed. The main objectives of this
experiment are to determine the power of the fan
cart by using work and the principles of energy
conservation and to compute work of a motion
when the motion is along a curved path.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

These are the materials used in the experiment:
1 set dynamics track with accessories
1 pc fan cart
2 pcs photogates
1 pc protractor
1 pc meter stick
1 set weights
1 pc iron stand
1 pc spring balance

In the first part of the experiment, which is to

determine the force, work, and power of the fan
cart, we used the dynamics track, the fan cart, 2
photogates, and weights. To avoid some errors in
the experiment, we the leveled first the dynamics
track so that no other force will be applied in the
fan cart. After leveling the dynamics track, we set
up the apparatuses as indicated in the picture
below.

Attach the string to the fan cart and pan at one

end and place it in the dynamics track with a
pulley at the end of the track. We determine the
force of the fan cart by putting weight on the pan
and turning the fan cart on. We increased or
decreased the weight on the pan until the fan
cart is stationary in its position. That indicated
that the force is balance and is also the force
exerted by the fan cart. We removed the pan and
the weight and set up the photogate 1 to 20cm
and photogate 2 at 70cm in the track. Turning
the fan cart on, we performed several trials and
adding 10cm for every trail. We recorded the
time of the fan cart as is passes from photogate
1 to photogate 2.
On the second part of the experiment, which is
the determination of work by a force on a curved
path, we used the iron stand, meter stick, 300g
mass, a protractor and a spring balance. We tied
the 300g mass to the iron stand and measured
the height from the table to the center of the
mass as its initial height. We also measure the
length of the string. Slowly, we pulled the
hanging mass by hooking the spring balance to it
as shown in the picture below.

We reorder the height of the hanging mass from

the table as we apply force on it by pulling. We
also recorder the angle from the iron stand to the
string. We performed several trials and recorded
the data and compared it to one another.

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS

Table 1: Part 1. Determining the Force, Work
and Power of the Fan Cart.
Force of the Fan Cart = weight of pan + weight
added = 0.294 N
Tria
l

Displace
ment, s

Time, t
(s)

Work (J)

Power
(Watts)
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(m)

0.5

0.8470

0.1470

0.1736

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0.6

0.9758

0.1764

0.1808

0.7

1.0667

0.2058

0.1929

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0.8

1.2467

0.2352

0.1887

The work done increases as the displacement

increase by 10cm. The power has almost the
same value I every trails as to be expected to be
constant.
Sample Computations:
Force of the Fan Cart
= weight of pan+weight added
=[(0.005kg)(9.8m/s^2 )] + [(0.025kg)(9.8
m/s^2 )]
=0.049N+0.245N
=0.294N
For trial 1:
Work=(Force of the cart)(displacement)
=(0.294N)(0.5m)
=0.1470 J
Table 2: Part 2. Work by a Force on a Curvd
Path
Length of the
string, L =
0.29m

Trial

Fo
rc
e
(
N
)

2.
2

Final
heig
ht,
hf
(m)

Weight of mass,
w = 2.94N
Inc
rea
se
in
hei
ght
,h
(m)

0.16

0.0
22

2.
6

0.17

0.0
32

3.
6

0.21
5

0.0
77

4.
2

0.24

0.1
02

An
gl
e,

Displ
acem
ent,
X (m)

22

27

43

51

Initial
height, ho
=0.138m

Wo
rk
(J)

Gra
vitio
nal
pote
ntial
ener
gy,
PEg
(J)

0.109

0.0
62
1

0.06
5

0.132

0.0
92
9

0.09
4

0.198

0.2
29
0

0.22
6

0.225

0.3
16
0

Power=Work/Time
=(0.1470 J)/(0.8470 s)
Power=0.1736 Watts

The work done and the value of gravitational

potential energy is almost the same as to be
expected.
Sample Computations
For Trial 1:
h=h_f-h_o
=0.16m-0.138m
h=0.022m
X= Lsin
=(0.29m)(sin22)
X= 0.109m
Work=wL(1-cos)
=(2.94N)(0.29m)(1-cos22)
Work=0.0621 J
PE_g=mgh
=(2.94N)(0.22m)
PE_g=0.065 J

DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION

In the first part of the experiment, since the work
done is measured by power, results should varies
to one another. Work is the force applied
multiplied by the distance the object traveled
while power is the ratio of work done and the
time coverage of the work. Work increase as we
increase the distance traveled by the fan cart
because work is directly proportional to distance.
The power exerted by the fan cart is expected to
be constant because the battery is its power
source. The batter cannot increase its power
because it is limited source. It will only decrease
its power if it is starting to discharge or drained.
Based on our results, the power exerted by the
fan cart ranges to 0.18watt. The results we
obtained in part 1 of the experiment is accepted.
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0.30
0

In the second part of the experiment, the work

done is almost the same as the increase in
gravitational energy. Kinetic energy becomes
constant as we pulled up the object upward. This
is because when you pulled an object upward, its
gravitational potential energy increases. Thus,
the work done in the curved path should equal to
the increase in gravitational potential energy. Our
data agrees with this theory though there are
discrepancy for only about few decimals but the
results are accepted.

Some errors might occur during the experiment.

One of this is when the battery of the fan cart is
starting to drain. The power of the cart being
exerted would not be constant. Another is if the
track is not leveled properly. Some unbalance
force will act on the fan cart and you wont be
able to get its true force.

Knowing the relationship between the applied

force and the work done, you would be able to
understand the principles in conservation of
energy. Since we said earlier that wok is directly
proportional to the displacement where as if you
increase the distance given constant force, work
will also increase as well as if you increase force
given a constant displacement, work will also
increase.
Gravitational potential energy is the energy
stored in an object as the result of its vertical
position or height. Due to Earths gravitational
attraction to the object, energy is being stored to
it. So to determine the gravitational potential
energy of the object, you increase the height of
it. From this principle, the work done by
increasing the height of the object is equal to its
gravitational stored on it. We can say that the
gravitational
potential
energy
is
directly
proportional to the height of the object so if we
double the height, we double the wok done and
its gravitational potential energy.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT & REFERENCE

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/energy/
u5l1b.cfm

Used for discussion and conclusion

Mapua Institute of
Laboratory manual

Technology

Physics

11

Principle of Physics 10th edition

By Walker, Halliday, Resnick
Used for discussion and conclusion

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