E201: WORK, ENERGY AND POWER

POLICIOUS, Mark Angelo F.

OBJECTIVE
The quintessence or intent of this experiment is
exemplify how work, energy and power
connected to each other. This experiment targets
the ability to use formula related to work and
power, to calculate potential energy, and to
delineate work in accurate and specific method.
This experiment is performed in a flat horizontal
surface in order to secure and maintain balance
and to be able to obtain precise or accurate data.
It involves F (magnitude of force acting on a
body), S (displacement),
(angle between force
and displacement) and W (work done). This data
will be determine using fan cart and to be explain
later in this report.
Naturally, in this experiment, energy is being
used for potential gravitation energy and kinetic
energy. According to Law of Conservation of
Energy, energy is neither created nor destroyed
but transform from one to form to another. In
other words, the sum of all energy in the
universe is a constant. This means energy is vital
concept of physics for which energy equation is
the source of our formula and has many forms.
When an energy is applied a work is done and
the rate of the work is power where the standard
metric unit is watt (J/s). Nowadays power is
measured in horsepower.

Part 1. Determining the Force, Work and Power

of the Fan Cart
For the first half, calculations of work and power
of a fan cart is the prime objective and these are
the following materials:
1. Fan cart (PASCO scientific)
-It use to applied force and motion opposing to
its position.
2. Two Photogates (PASCO scientific)
- Monitors the motion of objects passing through
its gate.
3. Smart timer (PASCO scientific)
- It use to measure a specific unit in a specific
distance covered by the two photogates.
4. Track (PASCO scientific)
-It is an instrument where fan cart lie.
5. Mass and hanger set (PASCO scientific me9348)
- It is a set that consists different kind of grams.
and a hanger that has a 5 grams.
6. Piece of Metal

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The first experiment is divided into two parts.
The first part is the calculations of work and
power and the second part of the experiment is
the determination of work and energy in
gravitational and potential. In every part of the
experiment the tract or the surface must be in 0 0
to diminish errors. Accuracy and presence of
mind will be vital in experiment to acquire
accurate data.

Finish set-up for the materials to

be used in first experiment

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Procedures:

3. Protractor

1. After assembling the set-up. The track was

make sure that is horizontal or leveled then the
cart was placed in the track.

- A tool to measure degrees

4. Meter stick
-It is a tool to measure distance.

2. A string was attached to the fan cart end and

the other was is to the pan and it was turned on
to make sure it move away where the pan is.

5. String with mass

3. There was mass added to the pan to balance

the force exerted.
4. The fan cart was placed to the end of the
track and the two photogates was set to cover a
certain distance and the timer was set to
measure time cover by the photogates.
5. Steps 4 was repeated, with different distance
each trial.
Finish set-up for the materials to
be used in second experiment
experiment
Procedure:
1. A mass was attached to the of the string and
tied in the iron stand. The Initial height ho was
measured by the meter stick.
2. The mass was pulled using spring balance to
record the force applied.

Groupmates doing the appointed

experiment

3. The angle form while pulling was measured

using protractor and the final height h f was
measured using metric stick as well as the String
length L.
4. Steps 2 -3 was repeated with different angle.

Part 2. Work by a Force on a Curved Path.

For the latter half,
materials:

5. Using this equation and the data gathered:

these are the following

1. Iron stand

We computed the gravitational potential energy

of the mass.

-An instrument to sturdy the object using.

2. Spring Balance (OHAUS)
- An instrument to measure Newton.

The common mistakes being inaccurate while

doing the experiment as well as the equipments
we used may incite error.
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S = 0.4 m
t = 0.5553 sec.
OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS
Part 1. TABLE1. Determining the Force,
Work and Power of the Fan cart
Force
cart

of

fan
0.539

Power = .3617 watts

Trial

Displacement,
S

Time, t

1
2

0.4
0.5

m
m

0.5583
0.6501

sec
sec

0.6

0.7495

sec

0.7

0.8314

sec

Work

Part 2. TABLE 2. Work by a Force on a

Curved Path

Power

0.2156
0.2695
0.3234

J
J
J

0.386172
0.414552
0.431488

Watts
Watts
Watts

0.3773

0.453813

Watts

This table shows the interconnection of work and

power to time and displacement. Work is directly
proportional to force and displacement. Stated
clearly in the table, when displacement increases,
work and power does and power is inversely
proportional to time but comparative to work.
The slope of this is negative.
Work = Force*Displacement ; Power = Work /
Time
In terms of source of error, the track can be
source of error and also the metal that is
magnetized to the body of the fan cart can cause
miscalculation. The timer between the two
photogates sometimes failed to calculate or its
calculation is not acceptable. In this experiment,
power is constant so it is up to the person
handling the fan cart.

Sample computation:
F = 0.593N

Trial

Force

hf

0.245

0.1

68

0.195

0.1

52

0.169

0.1

46

0.159

0.1

40

Work

Deg

Rad

PE

1.19

0.24

0.735

0.71

0.91

0.22

0.452

0.47

0.8

0.19

0.359

0.34

0.7

0.16

0.275

0.29

On basic analysis, this table showed the contrast

of work and potential energy. Undoubtedly, work
must be equal to gravitation potential energy. As
the height or inclination of object increases, the
restoration of the potential energy increases.
With every unit increase in height, work is done
against force of gravity and equal amount of
energy is stored. The total amount of force we
had put in the object is transformed into potential
energy and it ends at a higher altitude.
Further information, tension does not make any
work at all and the work done by force is same as
work done by gravity the difference is the sign.
In terms of source of error, the alignment of the
protractor while obtaining the angle is least
accurate and most source of mistake as well as
the getting the height using final height and
initial height. Another problem when pulling the
mass and trying to get the angle of inclination,
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our body can't make maintain constant force

most of the time which lead to another fault.

Sample computation:

PE =0.7105 J

change in kinetic energy or potential energy and

vice versa.
About the experiment, The method done in first
part of the experiment can provide accurate and
precise result. While the second part, which may
confer an unreliable data due to many measuring
steps, which leads us to make supposition and
doubts.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT &REFERENCE

W=0.73547 J

DISCUSSION&CONCLUSION
The experiment able to aims its objectives. The
determination of the power of the fan cart using
work and energy principle. The another goal of
this experiment is to compute for the work
motion in a curved path.
In conclusion work is related to power but not
similar to power. Work is directionally proportion
to displacement. This means displacement is very
significant to work and when force in parallel to
displacement, it performs maximum work. On the
hand work is not perform or does to work when
displacement is perpendicular to the force
applied.
Power is can acquire using working considering
the time involves. It is also the rate of doing
work in certain distance.
It is a proof that the total work done in raising an
object is equivalent to gravitational potential
energy.
I conclude that energy appearing in various
forms like mechanical energy, is conserved. It
can be transformed from one form to another
that is explain in the law of conservation of
energy. It means energy can be change form to
another and its total work done on an object can

I would like to thank my hard-working

groupmates Christel, Zulueta, Isabel and others
for their teamwork, unity and able to finished
the experiment with a commendable result.
Again, It was a job well done for us.
I also would like to acknowledge lab assistants
for letting us to employ lab equipments and
apparatus and giving us insights about safety
precautions and the remarkable prices of the
equipments that ensure us to work evidently.
Lastly, I would like to convey
my
overwhelming gratitude to our Professor, Sir
Ricardo De Leon, for letting us to experience this
astonishing moment and this lovely work. You
made Physics more amusing and pleasant. I am
truly grateful for having a professor like you.
Thank you sir.
Sources:
http://www.launc.tased.edu.au/online/sci
ences/PhysSci/done/kinetics/wep/Work.ht
m
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/calcpa
d/energy
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/ourenergy-choices/energy-and-wateruse/energy-and-water.html
http://educationportal.com/academy/lesson/energytransformation-definition-typesexamples.html
http://www.altenergy.org/Glossary/enerp
age.html
http://hyperphysics.phyastr.gsu.edu/hbas
e/work.ht
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