Investigating a Ski Jump

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Investigating a Ski Jump

Background Knowledge: I will use formulas in the prediction to predict

what will happen. The main formulas I will use will be

Loss of potential energy = mgh m=mass g=gravity h=height

Ek =1/2mv² Ek= kinetic energy v=velocity

In the experiment the ball bearing will begin with potential energy.

In order to predict the distance the ball travels I need to find out

the horizontal speed of the ball upon leaving the rail. I will do this

by making Ek equal to mgh to make a new formula, then making it equal

to velocity.

mgh = 1/2mv² gh = 1/2v² v² = ¶2gh

v=¶19.6h h= height started v=velocity g=9.8

This formula will be used to find the horizontal speed of the ball

which in the air will not change as I am ignoring air resistance.

After finding the horizontal speed I will need to find the amount of

time the ball is in air which is the same every time.

S =ut + 1/2at² s = distance u= intial velocity a= accelaration t= time

Aim: To investigate how changing the height a ball is dropped on a

ramp changes the distance it travels.

Prediction: During my prediction I will use these formulas which I

worked out in my background knowledge.

v= ¶19.6h v=velocity h=height

t=¶2s s= distance a= acceleration t= time

a

Vt =distance

In the prediction I can ignore the amount of time it takes to hit the

floor as it will not change.

In the final formulae only velocity will change so it has a direct

correlation. As height is the only variable in the formula velocity

also has a direct correlation.

Therefore I predict that as height of the ball increases distance the

ball travels will increase to.

In the results I will make a graph with height the ball is dropped

from on the axis and the formula ¶19.6h on the x axis and ¶2s

a

on the y. If my prediction is right I should be able to draw a

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