Lab 12: Conservation of Energy (Mass-Spring System); Lab Partner: Jamie Lopez; 10-21-16

2) We will be looking in a vertically-oscillating mass-spring system and accomplish that energy is conserved.

3) The work done by an object is equal to the change of kinetic energy. This is the definition of conservation of energy. If the initial quantity of energy is equal to the object's final quantity of energy, energy is conserved. There are different types of work than can be done to an object. In this experiment, we will be focusing work done by the spring and gravity.. The work done by the spring potential energy is the compression of the spring which is the displacement and the force. The work done by gravity potential energy is the vertical distance from the ground and the force of gravity. If the initial position of work done by the spring and potential energy is equal to the final position, then energy is conserved. Now the work done by the object is equal to the change of kinetic energy. So all the initial values of kinetic energy and work is equal to the final values of kinetic energy and work. The work done by all forces other than gravitational force and spring force equals the change in the total mechanical energy.

4) This is the apparatus we will use for the experiment. We will determine that the energy from its initial position will equal to the energy at its final position. The system will be oscillating so our graphs will show a sine function until the motion sensor ends the session of the object's movement. At the initial point where the spring is unstretched of 0.97 meters above the motion sensor, which is on the ground, the elastic potential energy should be zero, gravitational potential energy will be greater than zero, and the kinetic energy will be zero since the object hasn't moved yet. We will determine the y-direction going down will be positive.

5) These are the data points that the software of loggerpro recorded in the experiment. According to the values of the data record, our assumption of the graph will be a sine function since the numerical values oscillate from positive to negative.

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7) The first graph of the Force vs position of stretch, the values oscillate because the force is constantly stretched and pulled. Since the graphs demonstrate a repeating value over time, it proves that energy is conserved by the energy of kinetic, elastic, and gravitational potential energy. If another work disturbed the net system, the graph would demonstrate a decreasing slope at that given time.