- #1
zenite
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Hi Guys, I am doing an experiment to prove
1) Conservation of Energy
2) Inertia resist acceleration
The experiment is simple, rolling objects down a ramp.
So I timed the time taken for each object to reach the finishing line from rest.
To prove conservation of energy, I increased the height of the ramp, and then the steepness of the slope (height remains the same).
So when the slope steepness changes, the final velocity (hence kinetic energy) remains the same for an object. When height changes (steepness remains constant), the final velocity changes (potential energy changes, hence final kinetic). Is this reasonable to conclude that conservation of energy is true? The object is assumed to be pure rolling, hence no frictional effects.
And then for inertia. I used different shapes, solid sphere, hollow sphere and hollow cylinder. I got different timing for the shapes. The larger the inertia the longer the time taken. So how do I go about explaining inertia resist acceleration?
1 thing that confused me here is that how can I calculate the final velocity of the object with the data I had. I have height, degree of slope, displacement, mass. How do I get the final velocity? Can anyone help here?
My approach:
I used conservation of energy equation, PE1 = KE2 to find my final velocity. But can I really use it if I am trying to prove the theory is true? I then tried using kinematics to solve. But then I have to assume acceleration is constant. Is it constant? and what is the acceleration? Because inertia resist acceleration, each object have a different acceleration, correct? I thought a=g sin(theta) initially, but I am sure that's wrong.
1) Conservation of Energy
2) Inertia resist acceleration
The experiment is simple, rolling objects down a ramp.
So I timed the time taken for each object to reach the finishing line from rest.
To prove conservation of energy, I increased the height of the ramp, and then the steepness of the slope (height remains the same).
So when the slope steepness changes, the final velocity (hence kinetic energy) remains the same for an object. When height changes (steepness remains constant), the final velocity changes (potential energy changes, hence final kinetic). Is this reasonable to conclude that conservation of energy is true? The object is assumed to be pure rolling, hence no frictional effects.
And then for inertia. I used different shapes, solid sphere, hollow sphere and hollow cylinder. I got different timing for the shapes. The larger the inertia the longer the time taken. So how do I go about explaining inertia resist acceleration?
1 thing that confused me here is that how can I calculate the final velocity of the object with the data I had. I have height, degree of slope, displacement, mass. How do I get the final velocity? Can anyone help here?
My approach:
I used conservation of energy equation, PE1 = KE2 to find my final velocity. But can I really use it if I am trying to prove the theory is true? I then tried using kinematics to solve. But then I have to assume acceleration is constant. Is it constant? and what is the acceleration? Because inertia resist acceleration, each object have a different acceleration, correct? I thought a=g sin(theta) initially, but I am sure that's wrong.