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Evidence of Work
Evidence of Work
For our energy unit, we explored the various types of energy and how they were related to one another. We learned about Potential energy, Kinetic energy, Thermal Energy, Work, and the Law of conservation of energy.
For our project, my group dropped a ball from various heights and calculated the different forms of energy at each height. We captured the time it took to fall at each height and used the to calculate the Kinetic and Potential energies. By comparing them, we were able to see how much of the energy was conserved and how much was "lost" by converting into other forms of energy.
Through our experimentation, we saw that most of the ball's potential energy was converted into kinetic energy as it was in free fall. About 98% was converted with the remaining mostly lost to thermal energy and drag.
Content
Content
The law of conservation of energy- states that energy can't be created or destroyed. it also states that total energy in an isolated system remains constant but can change from one form to another. Our experiment attempted to prove this by showing that the total energy of the ball at the top was the same throughout its fall.
Velocity- The change in distance in a period of time with the equation, v = 𝚫d/𝚫t
Acceleration- The change in velocity over a given period of time with the equation, a = 𝚫v/𝚫t
Gravitational potential energy- The energy an object possesses due to its position/ height in a gravitational field. Its equaiton is Ug=mgh where Ug is the potential energy, g is acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height/vertical displacement in the gravitational field. Our ball contains potential energy at the top of its fall which is then transferred into kinetic energy as it falls.
Kinetic energy- The energy an object has due to its motion. The ball we used has kinetic energy as it's in free fall. The equation for kinetic energy is KE=1/2mv^2 or Kinetic energy is equal to 1/2 of its Mass times Velocity squared
Thermal energy- The energy an object has due to its temperature. Our experiment contains thermal energy in the form of friction due to air resistance. It also explains why not 100% of our energy was conserved.
Reflection
Reflection
Throughout this project we learned a lot about the various forms of energy and how they interact with one another. Our final project shows strong critical thinking and conscientious learning skills. We collected data from our experiments and worked to incorporate that in order to prove our hypothesis. We worked through inconsistencies and errors within our data to create the most accurate dataset and explanation. We also managed our time well and set expectations in our experiments to make sure we finished on time.
Despite this, I think I could still work on many things that would've made the project better or more efficient. We could've worked on our collaboration to make sure we were all at the same point/understanding with our project. We also didn't communicate as well as we could've when working on the project. In spite of this, I still enjoyed the project and think that its helped me learn a lot about the different forms of energy and I'm satisfied with our finished product.
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