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University of Santo Tomas

Faculty of Engineering
1st sem AY 2015-2016

Project Proposal Draft

Section: 2ChE-B
Group No.: 1 Date Submitted: October 1, 2016
Members: Abuena, Nick Gerald O.
Bautista, Monica Lea S.
Cabangal, Erwin Cayl P.
Cabungcal, Cesarah Justine M.
Cagubat, Mary Ellen Cathe A.

Instructor: Engr. Maureen Ballada


Project Proposal Ideas

1. Elevator
Related Physics Concept: Atwood’s Machine / Newton’s Second Law of Motion
Objectives:
1. To explain how the elevator works
2. To demonstrate Newton’s Second Law of Motion

How it works:
Most elevators work just like a pulley. Both the weight and the elevator car
are held in place by guide rails at the sides of the elevator shaft (the tunnel the
elevator is in). A motor can turn the wheel in either direction so that the elevator
either goes up or down (with the weight doing the opposite). When you push the
button inside the elevator, you activate the motor. When the motor stops, the grooves
in the pulley wheel keep the rope in place so the elevator stops moving.

Possible Sketch:
2. Roller Coaster
Related Physics Concept: Centripetal Force, Gravity, Inertia

Objectives:
1. To answer why doesn't a coaster fall off the track when it goes inverted
2. To understand what the centripetal force does in a circular motion.
How it works:

The action of a roller coaster has a lot to do with a special type of force called
centripetal force. This is the force that acts on a body moving in a circular motion
and is always directed towards the center of the circular motion of that body. In other
words, it is a force that makes an object to follow a circular path without moving off
of that track.

When the roller coaster takes a sharp turn, passengers have a sensation of
being pushed outwards, that is, away from the loop. This is caused by inertia.
Therefore, when you are in an upside-down loop, although gravity is pulling you
downwards, the force of acceleration due to the motion of the roller coaster is much
stronger than the force of gravity. This force of acceleration is pushing you upwards,
i.e., pushing you further into your seat so you don’t fall off while spinning around
the top of a loop.

Possible Sketch:
.
3. Mousetrap Car
Related Physics Concept: Kinetic Energy

Objectives:
1. To understand and familiarize the transformation of energy

How it works:

Energy can change form or transform from one type to another. Building a
mousetrap-car is a great project for this chapter as the vehicle ‘works' through the
transformation of energy. We activate the mousetrap, pulling back on the lever arm
to give the mousetrap elastic energy. This energy transforms slowly into kinetic
energy moving the car along the gym floor. Friction and air resistance dissipates this
kinetic energy as the car moves and this represents an energy transformation, too.

Possible sketch:
4. Acceleration on an Inclined Plane
Related Physics Concept: Acceleration, Forces

Objectives:

1. To determine and understand acceleration on an Inclined Plane


2. To determine acceleration in terms of the force.

How it works:

When you have a marble/golf ball (read: frictionless) moving down a ramp,
it’s being acted on by forces, which means that it’s accelerated. How fast is it being
accelerated? When you know that F = ma, you can solve for the acceleration. After
you solve for the force along the ramp, you can get the acceleration (a =F/m) along
the ramp. Your marble/golf ball is going to accelerate down the ramp.

Possible sketch:
5. Centripetal and Centrifugal Force

Related Physics Concept: Centripetal Force

Objectives:
1. Observe centripetal force in action, and use the centripetal force equation to predict the
results of the experiment.

How it works:
1. Measure your arm from the shoulder to your hand. When spinning the bucket, this will be
the radius of the circle. Record the length in meters.
2. Weigh the bucket on the scale. Record the weight.
3. Place the large jug on the scale and record the weight.
4. Pour water into the jug and record the weight. Subtract the weight of the jug to get the
weight of the water alone.
5. Convert the weight of the water into kilograms. Why is it important that the mass is in
kilograms?
6. Pour the water into the bucket.
7. Go outside to an area where it is okay to spill water. With your arm fully extended, swing
the bucket around in circles.
8. Swing the bucket slower and slower until the water spills out.
9. Using the centripetal force equation, calculate the velocity of your spin for the mass of
water in the bucket. How do you solve for velocity? What is significant about this force?
This velocity?
10. Repeat the experiment with different masses of water, or even different radii by tying a
rope to the bucket handle.
11. Compare centripetal force to gravity exerted on the water. How much water can you
swing for a given velocity?

Possible Sketch:
6. Physics of Pool: Elastic Collision of Equal Masses
Related Physics Concept: Momentum

Objectives:
1. Experiment with colliding masses and observe the conservation of energy and
momentum

How it works:
1. Place one puck on the surface and mark its starting position with the tape.
2. Place the second puck a foot or so away from the first puck.
3. Gently push the second puck towards the first puck, aimed so that it hits the puck at a
glancing angle rather than straight on (this may take a few practice runs).
4. Mark a couple of points along the paths both pucks tookafter the collision.
5. Using the marks as a guide, lay a lengthof string along each of the paths taken by the
pucks.
6. Use the protractor to measure the angle between the strings—the angle at which the
pucks moved away from each other.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 several times and calculate the average angle between the strings. If the
puck doesn’t hit at a glancing angle, then just skip that attempt and try again.

Possible Sketch:
6. Magnetic levitation project (mini)
Related concept: Magnetism
Objective: study the mechanism of magnetism and demonstrate how it works in
transportation such as MagLev
How it works (NOTE: MATERIALS AND STEPS ARE TEMPORARY,AND STILL ARE
SUBJECT FOR CHANGES ,FOR CONCEPTUALIZING PURPOSES ONLY!!!)
Materials:

 2 long hi-force Magnetic Strips (for the rails)


 2 short hi-force Magnetic Strips (for the car)
 2 plastic Guide Rails
 Wood Block 5" x 1 1/2" x 3/4" for the car

Additional materials you need:


 Wood board or heavy cardboard 3" x 28" or larger. This will be the ground for
your train.
 Clear adhesive tape
 Foam board or construction paper for making a decorative train
 Wood glue or Elmer glue to connect the foam parts (optional)
 A ruler stick
 Pencil
This instruction page
1. Draw 2 parallel lines 24" long and 1/4" apart as the guideline
for mounting plastic rails (angle brackets). Number these lines
as line 1 and line 2.
2. draw 2 more parallel lines 1/8" outside the first two lines.
These 2 new lines will be used as the guideline for the magnet
strips. We name these new lines , line A and line B.
3. Place one of the angle brackets on the board and align its edge
to the line number 1. At this time the flat section of the angle
bracket will cover the line A and the wall section of that will
stay on the left of line A. Use tape to secure it at this position.
4. Place the other plastic angle bracket on the board and align
its edge to the line number 2. At this time the flat section of
the angle bracket will cover the line B and the wall section of
that will stay on the right of line B. Use tape to secure it at
that position.
5.
5. Place your train car between the rails and make
sure that it can move freely and the space between
the walls and train is as small as possible.

6.

6. Peal the plastic film from the back of 24"


long magnetic strips and mount them on
the flat section of angle brackets. One
must be aligned to line A and the other
must be aligned to line B. In this way two
magnetic strips will be exactly 1/2" apart.

7.
7. Place the rail board on a flat horizontal surface and then place the train car over
the rail. It must float and the side brackets must protect it so it does not go off road
Possible sketch

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