Physics Lab

Conservation of Energy

Mechanical & Thermal Energy Transformation on an Inclined Track

Interactive Experiment Visualizer

Scale: 1 m = 18 px
✓ ENERGY CONSERVED
Speed:

Real-Time Energy Analysis Graph

Experimental Data Table

# Time (s) Height (m) Velocity (m/s) PE (J) KE (J) Thermal (J) Total (J)
No readings recorded. Press RECORD DATA during simulation to log experimental data.

Physics Working Principle & Theory

Law of Conservation of Energy

The total energy of an isolated system remains constant over time. Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another.

Etotal = Ep + Ek + Ethermal = Constant

In classical mechanics, gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic energy as an object moves downward.

Key Energy Formulations

  • Gravitational Potential Energy (Ep):
    Ep = m · g · h
    Where m is mass, g = 9.81 m/s², and h is vertical height.
  • Kinetic Energy (Ek):
    Ek = ½ · m · v²
    Where v is the instantaneous velocity along the track.
  • Thermal / Dissipated Energy (Ethermal):
    Ethermal = Ffriction · s = μ · m · g · cos(θ) · s
    Where μ is the coefficient of friction and s is distance along the track.

Ideal vs. Non-Ideal (Friction) Modes

Ideal Mode (μ = 0): Friction is absent. Mechanical energy is strictly conserved:

Emech = Ep + Ek = m · g · h₀

Friction Mode (μ > 0): Friction converts mechanical energy into thermal energy (heat/sound). Total energy remains conserved, but mechanical energy decreases:

Emech = Etotal - Ethermal

Experiment Procedure

  • 1. Select Ideal Mode or Friction Mode using the top mode buttons.
  • 2. Adjust object Mass (1 - 10 kg), Starting Height (1 - 20 m), and Friction level.
  • 3. Click [ START ] to launch the mass down the inclined ramp.
  • 4. Observe the height indicator, velocity vector arrow, and real-time energy bars.
  • 5. Use [ RECORD DATA ] to capture snapshots in the observation table and inspect the energy curves in the live graph.