- #1
Kot
- 57
- 1
Homework Statement
A wooden block is on an incline with θ = 18.5 degrees. The angle was determined to be big enough that the wooden block would experience kinetic friction ( slides down the ramp). A photo-gate was used to measure the time it took for the block to move a certain distance. Five different trials are performed each time moving the block an increment of 10 centimeters away from the photo-gate. The distance of the block from the photo-gate are 0.2m, 0.3m, 0.4m, 0.5m, and 0.6m. The time it takes the block to pass the photo-gate is 0.31s, 0.31s, 0.313s, 0.36s, and 0.32s respectively. The velocities of each trial are about 0.18m/s for each trial. These values were calculated when I did my lab. I am supposed to calculate the kinetic energy, potential energy due to gravity, total change in mechanical energy and graph them in terms of the displacement.
Homework Equations
K=1/2mv2
U=mgh
The Attempt at a Solution
I was able to calculate the kinetic energy, potential energy and total change in mechanical energy of the wooden block. When I graphed displacement over change in total mechanical energy the graph was a line and had a negative slope. I assume that it is negative because the wooden block is losing energy due to friction while it travels down the incline so this results in a graph with a negative slope, is this correct?