The percentage energy loss Essay Example

The percentage energy loss Paper When an object has Gravitational Potential Energy due to its raised position, it will gain Kinetic Energy if it falls. The maximum kinetic energy it can gain is equal to the potential energy it can lose. When the ball hits the ground and then bounces back up again, the amount of potential energy the second time is not as great as from when you first started. This is because of Percentage Energy Loss and Elastic Potential Energy. The Percentage Energy Loss is the second Potential Energy divided by the first Potential energy then multiplied by one hundred. E. g.PEi PEi x 100 = Percentage Energy Lost Energy stored in a stretched or compressed spring is elastic potential energy. When Elastic Potential Energy occurs, sound waves, movement and little heat is made throughout the surface it hits and therefore this can also be a factor I could measure. Another energy factor I could measure is the Energy Conversion. You can find this out by one simple equation similar to the one before. E. g. Height 1 Height 2 x 100 = Energy Conversion There are also equations to work out the Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy too. E. g. Potential Energy (PE) = mass (m) x gravity (g) x height (h) Kinetic Energy (KE) = 1/2 x mass (m) x velocity (v) i Change in Potential Energy (PE) = Change in Kinetic Energy (KE) All these equations will be usual for my investigation and so will use some of them to prove my theory or prediction and hope the results come out successfully. Prediction Due to preliminary work I found out that the drop height potential energy is twice as great as the bounce height potential energy. Therefore meaning the tennis ball loses about half its potential energy the second time round. We will write a custom essay sample on The percentage energy loss specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The percentage energy loss specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The percentage energy loss specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This can be calculated by using the Energy Conversion equation or Percentage Energy Lost equation. Both these equations gave me about 50% energy loss in the bounce height to the drop height. This could be the reason of elastic potential energy but we will have to see in out second set of results and find out the reason for it being 50% and not any other result. Plan During this experiment there will be many factors that you will have to take into consideration as each one could have an effect on the investigation and we only want to change one of these factors to make it a fair test. We would also like to keep the calculations nice and simple too, so that the results can easily be plotted onto graphs and tables for easier use These are some of the main variables we will need to take into consideration: Mass of the ball   Size and material of the ball Drop height of the ball   The surface used to drop the ball onto   Ball pressure Conditions and atmosphere To make it a fair investigation I must only change one variable and keep the rest the same. Some of the variables are simple and easy to keep under control but others could cause problems or are difficult to keep under control. One variable for example, conditions of atmosphere, is very hard to keep under control as it is a natural atmosphere and if you wanted to make it perfect other equipment and scientific knowledge will need to be known. There are still rules you will have to follow though to try and keep the conditions roughly the same throughout the investigation. Here are each of the variables and how I would control them throughout the investigation: Variable How I would control it Mass of ball   Keep the ball indoors or outdoors each time. If outdoors then out of the rain otherwise it would affect the mass of the ball by making it heavier and therefore affecting the elastic potential energy. Size and Material of ball   If you keep the same ball throughout the investigation the size and material should then stay the same and shouldnt have any affect. Drop height of the ball   This variable is the factor I have decided to change. By doing this I can change the heights and measure the different energy factors involved. The surface used to drop the ball onto. The surface is always an important factor in this investigation because if changed during the recording of results the bounce height and elastic potential energy could be affected greatly. Therefore I would use the same surface each time. Ball pressure   Now the pressure within the ball is hard to keep exactly the same as each time its used some pressure could be lost but as long as I keep the same ball for each result then I should get a good set of results. Conditions of atmosphere   Now this is a hard variable to control but as long as I stay in the same place (e.g. indoors) then I should be fine and the conditions shouldnt really change. The temperature may rise with the amount of people being the same room at the same time but this wont have much affect. Safety Safety is always a matter that must be taken into consideration throughout any investigation as you could be putting your life and others around you, at risk. For this investigation the safety factors are little but still must be noticed. During this experiment no dangerous items, objects, or chemicals are being used therefore it should be easy to stay safe and simple.