Problem: When a ball(unbalanced force) is rolled down an inclined plane, how does the size of the ball affect how far a wedge moves when the ball makes contact with the wedge.
Hypothesis: I believe that when a large ball is rolled down an inclined plane, it's size will move the wedge further, because when an unbalanced force is exerted on another force(balanced or unbalanced) the size of the force determines how far, and if the object that is being exerted upon moves.
Show materials as well as procedure
Materials: 1 track/inclined plane
1 ping pong ball
1 gold ball
1 golf ball
1tape measure
1 standard set of dominoes
Procedure:
- Gather all materials
- Fix inclined plane/track to one certain spot
- Put dominoes in place
- Put wedge in place
- Put ping poing ball in starting position
- Put ball into motion
- After collision record data
- Repeat steps 3-7 with the ping pong ball five times
- Use gold ball in experiment
- Repeat steps 3-7 with gold ball five times
- Use golf ball in experiment
- Repeat steps 3-7 five times with golf ball
- Conclude and finish PHEOC
- Clean up
IV: mass of ball
DV: Distance wedge travels in inches
Cv: The height of the inclined plane, size of ball, wedge, type of floor, unit of measurement
Control: inclined plane
In our experiment we were testing whether the amount of mass of an unbalanced force affected the distance an object at rest traveled when acted upon by this unbalanced force. I believed that the larger the mass of the unbalanced force, the further the object traveled because that the density of the object and large mass would exert more weight, and research told me that that larger unbalanced forces affect motion and direction more than smaller unbalanced forces. After completing the experiment, my hypothesis was supported by the data gathered from the tests. Our unbalanced forces were three types of balls, golf balls- which had the largest mass, ping pong balls- which had the smallest, and bouncy balls which had the middle mass. The golf ball ended pushing the object at rest the farthest for on its first trial, it pushed the object at rest(wedge) 47.5 inches. On the second trial, the golf ball achieved a record of 37.5 inches, which was the single outlier of the group. On the third attempt, the wedge went 40 inches after being acted on by the wall, and then got 40.5 after that. On the final try it pushed the wedge 46.5 inches, and averaged 42.4 inches per try. When we tried using the ping pong ball, it got the lowest amount of inches pushed out of all the balls. It received marks of 7, 6, 4.5, 6.5,6.5 and it averaged 6.1 inches pushed each time. Last of all the bouncy ball was used and it recorded the second best set of data. It pushed the wedge distances of 28, 24, 28, 23, 28, and it averaged 26.2 inches per try. Our results proved that the unbalanced force with the greatest mass(golf ball) moved the object at rest the farthest and the unbalanced force that had the least mass (ping pong) moved it the least distance, therefore supporting my hypothesis.
In our experiment we worked very hard to eliminate external variables.and in this experiment there were a variety of different external variables that could have affected our results, but we were able to neutralize most of them. First of all, it we had to make sure that the starting point of the ball is the same, that the starting point of the wedge is the same, and that the inclined plane is in the exact same place each try. Another thing need to focus on is making sure that the ball rolls down the inclined plane the same way, so we built barriers to make sure that the ball rolls the same way, but that's somewhat redundant considering that even with the barriers, we can't make sure it rolls the same way, but these will help. In addition, another external variable we eliminated is making sure the ball is put into motion with the same exact amount of force each time. This is achieved by making dominoes hit the ball and put it into motion. To make since we only used one ball per every kind of ball, we also made sure to wipe it off thoroughly to make sure that dust does not collect on the ball or other types of materials that could slow the ball path down the track and affect our results. In addition, the type of floor that the ball rolled on was be the same to make sure that friction will not affect our results. However, some external variables we couldn't eliminate were things such as making sure the dominoes were in the exact same place each time, and spaced evenly apart so the force they generated into the ball was the same every trial. In addition we also couldn't be sure each measurement was completely accurate but we tried pretty hard to make sure. This experiment is related to Newton's First Law of Motion because it tests how mass as an unbalanced force affects an object in motion. Our tests revealed that the mass of the unbalanced force does affect the distance an object in motion travels, and this can be applied to any situation in daily life. For instance, if one car in motion hits another car that is at rest, but of similar size, the resting car would move a shorter distance than if it were hit by a semi-truck which contains more mass, so it would therefore move the resting cart farther.
Newton's third law is also tampered with in this experiment, as far as testing how balls with different masses generate larger reactions. During the experiment, the balls hit a wedge sending it in motion, and our results proved that larger masses pushed the wedge farther. However, when the ball hits the wedge, this action propels the ball forward, thus the action, but the reaction is when the wedge stops the balls movement, and sends it backwards. In the experiment, the smaller balls moved the wedge a shorter distance, and had their movement stopped, and even moved backwards a little bit backwards, this being the equal reaction. The larger balls moved the wedge a larger distance forwards, but didn't move as far backwards because the reaction needed a lot of force just to stop the ball in its path.
Friction and Gravity
Problem: When a ball is rolled down a ramp and slides on different surfaces(surfaces differ in terms of texture) how does the type of surface affect the distance the ball rolls.
Hypothesis: I believe that when the ball rolls down a rougher surface, this rougher surface will have more dry friction, which will restrict the lateral movement of the ball when it rolls down the surface, as opposed to a smoother surface which would not cling to the ball as much.
Materials:
1 bouncy ball(56) grams
1 blanket
1 plastic straight plane
1wood straight plane
1 cardboard inclined plane
1 tape measure
1 cardboard box
Variables:
IV: The surface the ball rolls on
DV: Distance the ball rolls in inches
CV: The angle of the inclined plane, the surface of the inclined plane, the amount of force put into the ball
Control: Ball rolling on a cardboard surface
Procedure:
1. Gather all materials
2. Lean cardboard incline plane against box
3. Adjust cardboard so that angle is constant
4. At the ending point of inclined plane put straight wood plane(wooden inclined plane is flat on the ground)
5. Make sure that the meeting point of the inclined planes is without cracks that could break balls speed coming off of the first plane
6. Put bouncy ball at the top of the plane
7. Have one person give the ball a tap so it rolls down inclined plane
8. When the ball has finished rolling use tape measure to mark the distance traveled on the surface
9. Record the data in inches
10. Readjust the blanket wooden inclined plane in case it moves at all
11. Readjust the cardboard inclined planes angle to make sure it is constant
12. Repeat steps 4-11 two more times with the wooden straight inclined plane
13. Repeat steps 4-11 three times with plastic inclined plane
14. Repeat steps 4-11 three times with the blanket
15. Conclude
16. Clean up
Observations
Conclusion: In our experiment we were trying to test how gravity and friction applied and affected Newton's laws, and we achieved this by testing how different textures affected an object in motion. To add more detail on our experiment, we rolled balls down an inclined plane and measured how far the ball traveled on different surfaces. I hypothesized that smoother surfaces would offer less dry friction which restricts movement between moving surfaces. In our results, my hypothesis seemed supported. The wood surface was highly varnished and polished and therefore the smoothest, and the ball traveled the farthest on this surface. In chronological order, the distances for the wood surface were, 365, 361,361 inches per try and it averaged 362.3 inches per try. The plastic surface was the next smoothest and it got 220, 215, and 220 on its trials, while averaging 218.3 inches per try. In last was the blanket. The blanket offered the roughest surface for the ball to travel on, and the ball traveled the least distance on this surface. The distances traveled on this surface were 147, 145, and 139 inches per try. In addition, the ball averaged 143.6 inches per try on this surface.
I tried hard to eliminate external variables in this experiment and there were many that could have affected my experiment. First of all we had to make sure that we used the same ball each time, or different weights could have affected the distance traveled on the surfaces since mass and inertia can affect speed and acceleration. In addition, the angle of the inclined plane would have convoluted our results by a large margin. If the inclined plane were any steeper or shorter, the speed of the ball would of been different every time we switched angles because balls travel faster at steeper angles. We also had to make sure that there weren't any cracks as the cardboard inclined plane transitioned to one of the tracks that was switched into the experiment. This could of acted as a quasi-speed bump and reduced the speed of the ball as it came of the inclined plane, thus affecting our results. While the surfaces of the flat planes were constantly changing, the surface of the cardboard remained the same throughout the experiment. This made sure that the speed of the ball was constant throughout the experiment. One external variable that we couldn't eliminate was making sure that the unbalanced force acting on the ball as it was originally put into motion was the same. It would be nearly impossible to make sure that the person pushing the ball put the same amount of force on the ball each time.
While our results test friction, and how the smooth surfaces increase speed or distances traveled, it also shows the relationship between friction, gravity, and Newton's laws. For example, if an object is falling from a building, or grinding against a surface while traveling down an inclined plane, it is being acted on by gravity. Forces such as friction can reduce, or increase the speeds at which an object falls. Forces such as moisture, humidity, or surfaces being rubbed against while falling, or in motion affect how gravity pulls on an object, and all of the aforementioned variables are examples of friction in the natural world acting against object in motion.
Acceleration, Speed and Newton's third Law
Problem: When balls of the same size but different mass roll down an inclined plane and accelerate on flat ground, how does the mass of a given ball affect the deceleration of the ball.
Hypothesis: I believe that the more mass and inertia a ball has, the more the ball will accelerate because acceleration increases as mass increases, and therefore the ball with the least mass will decelerate the fastest.
Materials
1 cardboard box
1 wooden inclined plane measuring 3.5 feet in length
1 ping pong ball
1 golf ball
1 bouncy ball
1 large box
2 strips of tape
three timers
Show procedure and materials here
1. Gather all materials
2. Put cardboard box on floor
3. Put end of inclined plane on the edge of the box
4. Put large box five yards away from end of inclined plane
5. Measure one yard from end of inclined plane and mark position
6. From the large box, measure one yard away on the side closer to the inclined plane
7. Mark this position
8. Have one person with a timer move to each spot
9. Have a third person time the overall time that it takes the rube goldberg to get from the top of the inclined plane to the large box
10. Release the ball from the top of the inclined plane
11. Have first timer start timing when the golf ball reaches the end of the inclined plane and begins traveling the one yard
12. Stop the first timer after ball has gone one yard
13. Start the second timer when ball reaches the yard mark away from the large box
14. Stop the second and overall timer when the ball reaches the large box.
15. Calculate the acceleration by subtracting the final velocity and initial velocity, and then dividing the difference by the total time that the ball took to get from the inclined plane to the large box.
16. Repeat steps 8-15 four more times with the golf ball
17. Repeat steps 8-15 five times with the ping-pong ball
18. Repeat steps 8-15 five times with the bouncy ball
19. Clean up
Variables:
IV: The mass of the ball
DV: The acceleration of the ball in second per yard per second
CV: The inclined plane, surface the ball rolls on, the starting point of the ball, the ending point of the ball, the size of the ball, the distance being measured for the final and initial velocity, the person timing the different velocity marking spots, the unit of measurement for the time
Control: Ball rolling down the inclined plane and continuing past.
Observations
Conclusion
In this experiment, we were trying to see if the mass of different balls being rolled down an inclined plane affected the deceleration of the balls. We accomplished this experiment by giving the balls momentum by rolling them down an inclined plane and then measuring their initial velocity after the balls begin rolling on flat ground after leaving the inclined plane, and then measuring their final velocity as they begin to approach the ending point. We then subtracted the two velocities and divided the difference by the total time it took the ball to get from the starting point to the finish point. My hypothesis was that the more mass and inertia the ball had, the more deceleration it would have versus a ball with less mass, because research said that acceleration increases as mass increases, and our results didn't our hypothesis. The golf ball had the most mass, and had the quickest deceleration achieving scores of .08, .07, .06, .08, and .06 yards per second per second, and averaging .05 yards per second per second per try. The bouncy ball had the next highest mass and had the slowest deceleration, getting accelerations of .06, .05, .04,.04, and .04,and averaging .46 y/s/s per try. The ping pong ball came in second getting records of .05, .05, .04, .02, and .05 per try. This averaged .42 y/s/s. The reason for these records is unclear, for our results were almost the exact opposite of what we our hypothesis was. We believe that our tests may have been altered by an external variable described below, and the fact our timing may have been off while performing these tests.
This experiment had a lot of external variables that needed to be eliminated in order for our results to be accurate, and we eliminated several, but not all. First of all, when the ball rolled down the inclined plane, we needed to make sure it was going the same distance each time, so we had it stop exactly at nine yards by putting a box in the way, and this also helped with the accuracy of our time because we could see when the ball hit the box. We also needed to start the ball in the same place each time to insure that we would get the same intial acceleration coming out of the inclined plane each time, or at least close, and this also helped make our results so consistent. In addition, a large external variable that we didn't eliminate was making sure that the floor was at a flat angle so that the balls wouldn't curve, and we noticed this was a problem during our tests, for all of the balls curved, and especially the golf ball, and we believe that this happened because it came fast off the inclined plane and hit a dent in the floor with a lot of force which automatically slowed the ball down which is what happened with our results.
This met the proficiency by testing whether mass affected acceleration and speed, for we were testing whether the more mass and inertia one had, the more acceleration would occur. In addition, Newton's third law was at play which states that acceleration is dependant on mass. Our tests supported this theory and this is also exemplified in daily life. For instance, a cart that is empty would accelerate at a lesser rate than one that is completed filled, for the heavier cart has more mass and inertia, which helps the cart accelerate(although this is also somewhat dependent on the input force), however deceleration our tests seemed to disprove our hypothesis, but it may have been a miscalculation. Our tests were somewhat similar to this example in that the balls with the most inertia and mass accelerated the fastest, which once again proved my hypothesis correct.
Proficiency #4
Embed a flip video that shows how the Rube Goldberg works effectively and type any extra explanations that may coincide with the Rube Goldberg
My group is doing a Rube Goldberg that eventually will end up scoring a soccer goal. This whole process begins when a ball is pushed down an inclined plane positioned on stairs. After the ball has completed its journey down the inclined plane, it his a rollercoaster which utilizes a wheel and axle. This "rollercoaster" goes down its track and hits a string that is taped to a ground, thus releasing the string from the tape. The string is attached to pulley which is attached to the ceiling, and on the other side of the string is a large weight. Once the string has been freed of the tape, the weight is acted on by gravity and falls, hitting a first class lever. Once this lever has the weight on its end, it tips over and sets a basketball into motion which hits a screw. This screw is unique because it is also a track for a marble, and when the basketball makes contact with the screw the marble is set in motion and begins its path down the track. Awaiting the marble at the bottom of the track is a line of dominoes that are put into motion when the marble finishes its course. This line of dominoes continues until it hits a small bouncy ball. This ball moves a wedge forward which hits a soccer ball into the goal.
The Transfer of Energy from Step to Step.
The Rube Goldberg that was created by my group constantly transfers energy between simple machines. On the first step, a ball with kinetic energy travels and hits a rollercoaster, which until contact, had potential energy as it was at the top of a track. After contact, this rollercoaster gains kinetic energy until it hits a piece of tape that has a string attached to it which leads to a pulley. On the other end of the pulley was a large weight with gravitational potential energy, and when the tape suspending it was unleashed, the pulley transferred it's energy onto a lever. On the other side of this lever is a ball that is given kinetic energy, when the lever moves. The lever itself has mechanical energy when the ball is still attached to it. After the lever moves this ball is put into motion gathering thermal energy, and it hits a screw. This gives a marble kinetic energy, and it moves down a track picking up acceleration. After this it hits a row of dominoes that have potential energy, and after gaining kinetic energy and acceleration, these dominoes hit a bouncy ball giving it kinetic energy,and this ball transfers its energy to a wedge, moving it forward, which transfers its kinetic energy to a soccer ball which moves into the goal.
Proficiency #5
Solar and Wind Power
Brad Wahlgren
Since the invention of the steamboat, humanity has favored the use of fossil fuels above all others, they have been used in cars, boats, and other products that require energy. However over the years, this form of energy has caused many accidents and taken a toll on the environment, while less commonly used resources such as solar and hydro power have been quietly doing their job with an increasing level of success and should be used more often during the global search for energy.
Advocates of fossil fuels often argue that fossil fuels hold a high calorific value, and contain very high amounts of releasable energy. In addition, people argue that these are the most accessible fuels in the world and do not require much time to refine and process. However there is a long list of cons that make fossil fuels a risky investment. First of all, when fossil fuels combust and are put into use, they release a large amount of carbon dioxide into the air; carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has been attributed to global warming and damage caused to the ozone. In addition, these sulfur gasses can produce acid rain which is toxic to the environment. Because of the extreme amounts of use, fossil fuels are vanishing rapidly and becoming hard to locate and drill which is an expensive process. These fuels also cause many environmental disasters when transported incorrectly. Throughout history a large amount of oil spills have severely damaged the ocean and surrounding environments, the most recent of which being the Gulf Oil Spill. This gigantic spill resisted three months worth of attempts to cap the spill, and released an astonishing 4.9 million gallons of crude oil which resulted in the deaths of thousands of marine animals such as native fish and birds. Cases such as this truly showcase the deadly repercussions that transpire when fossil fuels are handled incorrectly.
While fossil fuels are dangerous and wasteful, there are two forms of alternate energy that are efficient and relatively cost- effective. Solar power is the first of these safe forms of energy that is playing a greater role in greater in global economics and industry. First of all, solar power is the conversion from sunlight into electricity, and is normally used in two main forms of energy. Concentrating solar power uses lenses and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a beam. A photovoltaic cell converts light into electrical current by working with the photoelectric effect. This occurs when electrons are emitted from matter as a consequence of their absorption of energy. Photovoltaic energy has grown in popularity since the late 20th century, and concentrated solar power has become has much potential to grow into a major source of energy. However, the downside to solar power is that it is not available at every hour of the day, or every day of the week, and is entirely weather dependent, which is why it should be paired with another form of energy when being used as a main source of energy.
Solar power needs a coupling to be a fully functional and hydro power is a great source of energy to compliment it. The convenient aspect of hydropower is that it comes in many forms and can be form-fitted to the area’s natural surroundings. For example, if an inland city were to use hydropower, they could use conventional hydroelectric power which is the use of a river dam, or if area was coastal, they could put tidal steam power which uses steam generators. While stereotypical hydropower utilizes dams, run-of-the-river hydroelectricity uses the kinetic energy in rivers without the use of a dam, but the most promising type of hydroelectricity is small scale hydropower. This is a renewable energy source, which can be installed in rivers with no effect on wildlife in the area such as fish. Most of these systems don’t use dams, and effectively use water wheels to do the job. These produce electricity, and don't endanger wildlife which makes hydro-power an excellent supplement to solar power.
The United States is one of the most energy consuming countries in existence, we're engaged in a perpetual search for more fossil fuels and oil as these forms of non-renewable energy make up almost 86% of the U.S.' energy. In fact, fossil fuel consumption has outpaced fossil fuel production during the last fifty years, and much of the United States' fossil fuel resources are imported. However, non-renawable energy accounted for roughly 7.3% of energy in the U.S. so solar and hydropower have a lot of room for growth in the U.S. While non-renewable energy in the U.S. is mostly imported, solar and hydro-power can be found throughout the United States. Ethanol is an alternate form of energy that has been endorsed as a efficient potential as a source of energy, and the government views it as an optional form of energy to pursue, but photovoltaics is actually 85 times as powerful as ethanol. In fact, if solar power was installed in rural southwestern deserts(in areas like Arizona, New Mexico, etc), they could fufill the United States electricity needs. This is why they should put to further use by the U.S. if they truly want to be free of foreign oil debt. If hydropower was used as a supplement to solar power, we as a country could eliminate fossil fuel use to create electricity, and significantly reduce America's foreign debts.
The U.S. is in a seemingly unbreakable debt to other countries, Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries being some of the prominent names. We as a country are addicted to fossil fuels and foreign oil, which when spilled or mishandled result in the destruction of miles of wilderness, and many casualties( both human and wild). If solar and hydro-power are utilized, the U.S. could help build a cleaner, greener, planet, and should be used more often in the global search for energy.
Sources:
The U.S. is in a seemingly unbreakable debt to other countries, Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries being some of the prominent names. We as a country are addicted to fossil fuels and foreign oil, which when spilled or mishandled result in the destruction of miles of wilderness, and many casualties( both human and wild). If solar and hydro-power are utilized, the U.S. could help build a cleaner, greener, planet, and should be used more often in the global search for energy.
Sources:
country. "Fossil fuel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2010.
country. "Solar power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. <="" wiki="">
"Hydropower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. <="" wiki="">
1950, and oil consumption. "Energy policy of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. .
