Mini-Lab: Bungee Energy Conservation Part 1 Procedure: 1) Note the equilibrium position of the elastic. 2) Hang various masses from the elastic and note the distortion 3) Plot a graph of FE (y-axis) vs. x (x-axis) 4) Calculate the slope of the line (k, the spring constant) Data: Table 1: Elastic Force vs. Distortion

Mass (kg)

Elastic Force (FE = Fg = mg)

Distortion (∆x)

0.050 0.100 0.150 0.200 0.250 Part 2 1) Your physics teacher will give you a bungee person. Determine its mass. 2) Solve the equation for the distance (h) the bungee person will fall before being stopped by the spring. mgΔh = ½kh2 which simplifies to:

mg = ½kh

3) Attach the bungee person to the spring and support the person such that the spring is at the no-load (unstretched) position. Raise the bungee person to the appropriate height (h). Consider the body length of the bungee person. 4) Drop the bungee person. [NOTE: The physics instructor is the sole judge of distance from the table the bungee person falls on the spring.]

Grade: bungee person hits table or greater than 10 cm = 0 within 6-10 cm of table = 1 within 3-6 cm = 2 less than 3 cm = 4