PIRA 1M40.90 Conservation of Energy: Energy Track
Photo Shows the Demonstration Used at U.T. Austin.
Faculty Instructions:
- Place one marble at a time at the desired height and release it. See how far it rolls up
the other side of the track. Students will notice the higher the initial position from
the ground, the further the marble rolls.
- You can also analyze energy loss due to friction. The ending height of each marble
is not the same as the starting height. Furthermore, because the steel marble is
heavier, it will encounter greater friction
- Repeat the demonstration by adjusting the position of the screw in the stand to
change the height of the track.
Concepts Conveyed:
- The demonstration consists of an energy track that can be used to investigate energy
conservation as it applies to a marble rolling up and down the track. To investigate the
relationship between energy and mass, one plastic and one metallic marble are included.
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