Rubber Band Cart Launcher Lab

This week, the purpose of the lab was to discover the relationship between velocity and energy. In addition, we were also supposed to find out what kinetic energy was and how it is used in an equation.

In order to answer these quesstions we used a red cart, a Photogate sensor that measured the velovicy of the cart, a rubber band, and an air-filled ramp that helped eliminate friction so that we could accurately measure the velocity. Our table stretched the rubber band (doing work) and the cart from .01-.05 meters and released the cart down the ramp. The censor measured the velocity of the cart for each trial and then we repeated the expiriment.

From the data that we collected, we noticed that as the energy (work) increased, the velocity of the cart increased. In other words, the farther we stretched the rubber band, the faster the cart moved.

Key information:

*energy cannot be destroyed! It can only change forms. (transferred from one form to another)
work-->spring potential energy-->kinetic energy (energy in motion)
*The slope of kinetic energy is 1/2 the mass. Since the car was .4kg, the slope is .2 kg

KINETIC ENERGY EQUATION:

K = (1/2m)(v^2)
Y= (m)(x) +b
K=kinetic energy
m=mass (kg)
v=velocity squared (m/s)



LOL charts (as seen below) help us distinguish the transfer of energy from one form to another

L= energy that we start with
O= objects involved
L= energy that we end with


Real World Connection:

What we learned in class this week relates to the concept of trampolines. Energy and velocity are related just as the rubber band relates to the cart. In this case, The trampoline is like the rubber band and the person jumping resembles the cart. We do work when we jump on the trampoline and the nylon material stretches to support our weight. The more the nylon surface is stretched, the more energy is stored, whih means that we will jump faster and higher when the energy is released.