Pyramid Lab

In this week's lab, we tested the relationship between force and distance to see if energy is universally conserved as a constant of systems other than pulleys. To experiment this, we placed three books on a ramp with a car at the bottom of the ramp being pulled up by an electronic force probe. In our first trial, it took .1 Newtons to pull the 250 g car up a ramp of 166 cm. so 1.66 meters (.1 Newtons) = .166 Joules.

In our second trial, it took .12 Newtons of force to pull the car up a shortened ramp of 132 cm. so .132 meters (.12 Newtons) = .158 Joules. Below is a picture of our ramp:

More force, Less distance = Same energy

Less force, More distance = Same energy

We continued to adjust the measurement of the ramp and add mass to our car, but we ultimately came to the conclusion that despite the measurement of force and distance, the amount of work or energy will always stay the same. Whether there is more force and less distance or less force and more distance, they same amount of energy is always conserved. In conclusion, the product of force and distance is universally conserved because the amount of energy remains the same always.

Real World Connection:

In the real world, skate ramps are built in the same structure as the ramp we built for our car. Ramps in our everyday lives are simple machines which reduce force, with the trade-off being distance, however, the amount of work, or energy, used is the same.