CONSERVATION OF ENERGY Physics Department（能量守恒,物理系）.pdf

CONSERVATION OF ENERGY Pre-Lab Assignment 1. Read the lab instructions. 2. A hanging mass of 1500 grams compresses a spring 2.0 cm. Find the spring constant in N/m. 3. The spring is compressed a total of 3.0 cm, and used to set a 500 gram cart into motion. Find the speed of the cart at the instant it is released, assuming all the elastic potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. 4. Suppose the cart is on a track that is elevated at one end. Find the maximum height h above the plane of the tabletop that the cart will rise to before coming to a stop; assume that all the kinetic energy is converted to gravitational potential energy. Apparatus Pasco 750 Interface 1.2 meter dynamics track, and a spirit level From track accessories: 1 adjustable end-stop, and 1 track support Three-hole pulley on a rod Universal clamp Dynamic cart (with plunger and weight) Photogate head with mounting bracket and five-pattern picket fence Meter-stick, table clamp O-Haus triple beam mass balance 1 inch by ¼ inch bolt, nut, and washers to attach to adjustable end-stop Theory If a mechanical process takes place without losses to friction or other dissipative force, the energy of the system is conserved. This means that the energy can be transformed without loss from one form of mechanical energy to another, such as elastic potential energy to kinetic energy, or kinetic energy to gravitational potential energy, for example. If friction is present, some or all of the energy is converted into heat, which is another form of energy. Three forms of mechanical energy are involved in this experiment: (1) Kinetic Energy = K = ½ m v2 (2) Gravitational Potential Energy = Ugr = mgh (3) Elastic Potential Energy = Uel = ½ kx2 In the last expression k is the spring constant, which applies to a spring that obeys Hooke’s Law, F = -kx, where a for