Rubber Band Cart Launcher Lab

Big Question:

How are energy and velocity related?

Lab Summary:

We put a cart on an air track and then pulled it back a certain distance/gave it a certain amount of energy to find the velocity the cart had. It was measured by the photogate sensor. We did this multiple times to get more accurate data.

What did you learn?

When the cart is released and the rubber band sends it flying down the air track, the elastic energy in the rubber band transferred to the pink cart; this is kinetic energy. 

"Big Answer"

The further back the cart pulls the rubber band back, the more energy is transferred to it when it's released which causes the velocity of the cart to increase. 



DATA:

Equation used:

Ug=mgh

K=1/2massXvelocity^2

Real World Connection

Once again, this is related to when Baby Cupid shoots his bow and arrow to make somebody fall in love. The further he pulls back his bow, when he releases it, the energy will transfer to the arrow, the more velocity it will have/faster it will go!