Energy Transfer
Purpose
To investigate how energy transfers from one object to another.
Method
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Circulate through the different benches and complete each of the mini experiments.
Form a hypothesis for each experiment and write this in the space provided. The first
hypothesis has been written for you to demonstrate how to write a hypothesis.
Perform the experiment and record your results.
Discuss what and why it happened and whether your hypothesis was supported?
Bench 1
Hypothesis
It is hypothesised that when the ball is released it will roll down, along the track and up the
other side to a slightly lower height from where it began.
Procedure
1. Place two upside down stools on the lab bench.
2. Tape a metre ruler to each stool.
3. Raise each end of a car track up to the same height and angle. Tape it to the stool
and ruler to hold it in place.
4. Place a marble on the track and record the height it is above the bench.
5. Release the ball to roll along the track.
6. Measure the height it reaches at the
other end and record your results.
7. What did you observe as the ball was
rolling?
8. Repeat the experiment 3 times.
Results
Initial Height of ball (cm)
Other observations:
Eventual height of ball (cm)
Discussion
Was your hypothesis supported?
What energy did the ball have at the beginning? ___________________________________
What energy was this converted into? ___________________________________________
Was all the initial energy returned at the end? Explain.
Was the law of conservation of mass followed? Explain
Bench 2
Hypothesis: (Which car will win the race?)
Procedure
1. Raise the ends of the track to 2 different heights.
Place the cars at the same distance from the finish post.
2. Release the cars at the same time.
3. Record the winner.
Results
Which car won the race?
Test 1 (High car / low car)
Test 2 (High car / low car)
Test 3 (High car / low car)
Discussion.
What energy did the cars have at the start? _______________________________________
What energy was it converted into? _____________________________________________
Why did the winning car win?
Bench 3
Hypothesis (What will happen to the row of washers when hit with another washer?)
Procedure
1. Set up 5 washers in a straight line on the
bench top.
2. Place the 6th washer on the bench top 5cm from one end of the row.
5
4
3
2 1 moving washer
3. Use an index finger to quickly flick the washer to hit the end washer.
Results
What happened to the different washers?
Washer 1
________________________________________________________
Washer 2
________________________________________________________
Washer 3
________________________________________________________
Washer 4
________________________________________________________
Washer 5
________________________________________________________
Discussion
What energy type did the moving washer have? _________________________________
Describe how your hypothesis was supported or not.
Predict what would happen if you flicked 2 washers into the lined up washers rather then 1.
Test your idea. Are you correct? What does this tell you about energy transfer?
Bench 4
Hypothesis (What will happen to the ball when hit with the stretched elastic?)
Procedure
1. Place a hair elastic around 2 fingers.
2. Stretch it backwards.
3. Place stretched elastic against the ball.
4. Release the elastic.
Results
Describe what happened to the ball?
Discussion
Describe how your hypothesis was supported.
What type of energy did the stretched elastic have? ________________________________
Why did this make the ball move?
Bench 5
Hypothesis (What will happen to the temperature of the plasticine?
Procedure
1. Carefully stick a thermometer into the plasticine.
2. Record its temperature.
3. Remove the thermometer and vigorously massage and kneed the plasticine.
4. Record the temperature again.
Results
Initial temperature: _________________
Final temperature: __________________
Discussion
How well was your hypothesis supported?
What type of energy did the plasticine have at the start? _____________________________
What type of energy was applied to the plasticine? _________________________________
Why did the temperature change?
Bench 6
Hypothesis (What will happen to the speed at which the dominoes fall over going up and
going down stairs?)
Procedure
1. Set dominoes up on their end so they push each other over when tipped.
2. Observe how quickly they fall.
3. Set dominoes up to go over the bridge.
4. Observe how fast they fall.
Results
Rank speed at which they fall over from fastest 1 to slowest 3.
__________________________________________________
Discussion
What kind of energy does a domino have while standing up? _________________________
How does this get converted into kinetic energy?___________________________________
The speed of falling was affected by: ____________________________________________
Bench 7
Hypothesis (What will happen to the ball at the top of the tower?)
Procedure
1. Set dominoes up on end so they push each other over when tipped.
2. Set them up so ½ of them lead to the switch at the bottom of the tower.
3. Set the rest at the bottom of the tower.
4. Set them off.
Results
Describe what happens.
Discussion
What energy did the ball have at the top? ________________________________________
What was this converted to? ___________________________________________________
What energy conversions occurred at different places?
Place on domino tower
Energy conversion occurring here
Domino to domino
Domino to switch
Switch to ball
Ball falling
Ball to domino