PHY 101L Module Five Lab Activity: Conservation of Energy.

PHY 101L Module Five Lab Activity: Conservation of Energy
Overview:  In this investigation, you will design an experiment to test the law of conservation of energy and then you will perform that experiment.  This is completely open-ended, allowing you to use whatever materials and data acquisition techniques that you would like!
Safety:
Read all the instructions for this laboratory activity before beginning. Observe established laboratory safety practices.
Safety goggles should be worn during this lab. Make sure lab area is clear of pets, children, and breakable objects. 
Do not eat, drink, or chew gum while performing this activity. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after performing the activity. Clean up the work area with soap and water after completing the investigation. Keep pets and children away from lab materials and equipment. 
Time Requirements: 
Preparation: 30 minutes
Experiment: 30 minutes
Materials needed from the lab kit:
Tape measure
Materials needed but not supplied in the lab kit:
Stopwatch
Calculator
Pen and paper for notetaking
Procedure:
1) You will design an experiment to test the Law of Conservation of Energy.  This experiment should include the measurement of some kind of energy transformation, including energy transformations from gravitational or elastic potential energy to kinetic energy, from potential energy to potential energy, or from kinetic energy to potential energy. The possibilities are endless! You are free to use materials from your Carolina Biological lab kit or materials that you have around your home, but in doing so, always make sure that you are following safe laboratory practices. 
*If you are unsure whether the experiment you plan on designing includes the measurement of an energy transformation, consult with your instructor. 
a. Examples of energy transformations could include:
i. Measuring the initial and final gravitational potential energies of a ball bounced on a hard surface
ii. Measuring the initial gravitational potential energy and final kinetic energy of a ball rolling down an inclined plane
iii. Measuring the initial elastic potential energy and final gravitational potential energy of a rubber band or spring launched upward from the ground, etc. 
2) Once you have identified all of the necessary materials needed for your experiment, gather all of your needed materials, a timing device, a tape measure, and pen and paper for note taking.  
3) Next, perform your experiment, taking note of all the data that you collect and any calculations that you use.  Some equations that might be helpful include the following:
kinetic energy = ½ mass x velocity2
gravitational potential energy = mass x gravitational acceleration x height
elastic potential energy = ½ spring constant x displacement2
total initial energy = total final energy
4) Using your calculations, determine whether or not energy was conserved in your experiment.  If energy was not conserved, explain why you feel that it was not conserved. 
Lab Questions:  
1) Provide an explanation of the procedures you used to perform your experiment.  This should include all of the materials that you used, the procedure that you followed, as well as any calculations used in your experiment.  Include sufficient detail so that a fellow student could follow your instructions and complete your experiment exactly as you did.  
2) What type(s) of energy did you measure in your experiment?  
3) Explain the transfer of energy. In your experiment, what was your initial form of energy? What form of energy was it converted to? If there were multiple transfers of energy occurring in your experiment, detail each of them below.
4) Include your data in both table and graph format below. Use proper titles and labels on your table and graph (click here for an example of a table and a labeled graph).  
5) Include any calculations that you used to analyze your data below.
6) Describe whether or not you think that energy was indeed conserved. If energy was not conserved, explain your reasoning and what you think might account for the “missing energy”. Use evidence to support your reasoning.