Investigating Ramp Efficiency: The Impact of Friction

[ejonesdj]

Hi all,

I've been doing a lot of research recently, but am still struggling to do a good hypothesis for my experiment. The experiment is to find the efficiency of a ramp. I will be changing the height of the ramp and will be measuring the force required to lift a bucket with a total mass (with weights in it) of 1kg ( 100N).
What I would like to know is how the friction between the bucket and the ramp changes as the the height of the ramp is increased. This is important as; as the friction will effect the force required to pull the bucket up the ramp.

Thanks in advance,
Ed

 

[Speed]

Total energy needed to move an object of mass M over a distance of s over a ramp of height H:

$$E = MgH + {\int_0^s}Mg{\mu}Cos{\theta}ds$$

g = grav. accln, theta = ramp inclination.

 

[dextercioby]

The integration wasn't necessary.You might add that the energy you mentioned is actually the work one must do "against" the 2 forces that wooud oppose the movement upwards:tangential component of gravity and K friction force.
Let there be noted that "E" is the minimum work that has to be done.One of course would be able to do more work,the effect of which (simply using the theorem if variation of KE) would be greater speed for the tracted body at the height of the ramp.

Daniel.

 

[Speed]

The integration wasn't necessary.

It is the most concise way of explaining the problem.