Labs from Chicago, Fall 1993 :
Mechanical Potential Energy.

Dr. Rich Kron, Dr. Heidi Newberg, and Luisa Rebull
Labs written for the CARA Space Explorers, Fall 1993

This is meant to be handed out to the students.

************************************************
*** constant you might need : g = 980 cm/s2 ***
*** formulas you might need : GPE = mgh ***
*** MPE = (1/2)kx2 ***
************************************************

1. (3 pts.) If a mass of 10 grams is put on a spring launcher (with a k of 196,000 g/s2) that gets compressed 1 cm, how high will the mass jump? (UNITS!)

2. (2 pts.) Is there more energy stored in a spring when you hang a heavy weight on it or a light one?

Important Disclaimers and Caveats

Go back to the Chicago Fall 1993 Energy home page.