G Human Power Output Lab

Here is the lab handout: Lab-HumanPowerOutput.docx

If you go up a flight of stairs, you are doing work, and we can measure that work by knowing your mass, and the height of the stairs. (W = PE = mgh). Now if we know the time it takes you to climb the stairs, we can then calculate your power output. (P = W/t). That is what this lab is about.

Directions:

1. Find a set of stairs and time how long it takes you to climb them. Do this 4 times and record your times. Try to go the same speed all 4 times.

2. Estimate or measure your weight in pounds, and divide this by 2.2 to get your mass in kilograms. (assuming you are on Earth)

3. Measure the total height of the flight of stairs in inches, and multiply by 2.54 to get centimeters, and then divide by 100 to get meters.

4. Calculate the average time and the uncertainty of the time (High - Low)/2 (watch the video)

5. Calculate your minimum, best guess, and maximum power outputs

6. Answer the Questions in the lab.

7. Submit it in the Google cloud document template attached to the assignment.

Watch this first - it shows you how to do the calculations:

This video shows you how to do all the measurements at home:

Here is an example of a completed lab: MurrayExample