Ramp Question: Calculating Energy Lost and Friction Coeff.

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating energy lost due to friction when a ball slides down a ramp, specifically comparing expected and actual distances traveled. The user calculated the gravitational energy (GE) at the top and kinetic energy (KE) at the bottom but faced challenges due to the absence of mass in the calculations. The user established that the energy at the bottom includes kinetic energy, sound energy, thermal energy (from friction), and gravitational energy, leading to the equation GE = GE + KE + x, where x represents the lost energy. The second part of the inquiry involves determining the coefficient of friction between the ball and the ramp.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of gravitational energy (GE) and kinetic energy (KE)
  • Familiarity with energy conservation principles
  • Knowledge of friction and its effects on motion
  • Basic algebra for manipulating equations
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the principles of energy conservation in physics
  • Learn how to calculate the coefficient of friction using experimental data
  • Explore the relationship between mass, energy, and distance traveled in motion
  • Investigate methods for calculating energy loss in real-world scenarios
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Students studying physics, educators teaching energy concepts, and anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of motion and friction in practical applications.

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Homework Statement


Hey guys, I've got a question regarding energy lost from sliding downa ramp.
Here's the situation:

35buy4h.jpg


The expected distance for the ball to travel I calculated to be 151 cm, it actually only traveled 105 cm after leaving the ramp. We were asked to calculate the energy lost while sliding down the ramp using only that information and the given heights (60 and 95 cm).

I know that the energy at the top must equal the energy at the bottom, but that the energy at the bottom would be composed of Kinetic energy, sound energy, thermal energy (friction) and gravitational energy, while the top would just be gravitational energy. Based on this I said that GE = GE + KE + x (x = amount of lost energy). I can calculate the GE and the KE but we weren't given a mass and I can't find a way to make mass cancel.

The second part of the question was to determine the coefficient of friction between the ball and the ramp.

If anyone could help me out with this question that'd be great.

Thanks
 
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