LIBERATO SALZANO VIEIRA DA CUNHA TECHNICAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION

First Year Research Project

Series: First Course: Electrical Engineering

Class:2112 Room:234
June 17, 2009 Delivery: June 23, 2009
Ana Paula Utzig
Caroline Flores (08)
Júlia Jung (19)
Prof. Luis André Mützenberg

LOOPING

1 INTRODUCTION

This project originates from the proposal made by the project professor, to
together with the 1st year students of the Electrotechnics course at Liberato Salzano School
Vieira da Cunha, conduct research at the PUC Museum of Technological Sciences. The project
is aimed at choosing, among so many others, an experience to reconstruct
in the most accessible way and perhaps modify it to make it more interesting.

1.1 Theme
From the experiment called 'Looping', we will attempt to expose some of the Laws.
Basics of Mechanical Energy and its manifestations. Presenting one of its applications, the
Looping of the roller coaster, making work more interesting.

1.2 Justification(s)
We will do the work on Looping, as it allows for the study of circular motion, the
energy conservation, mechanical energy, among others, which are topics in first year physics
series, and that we will learn more throughout the year. For these reasons, the group understands that it is a

important and interesting work to be done

1.3 Problem
What should be the height of the fall for the car to complete the loop?

1.4 Hypothesis
As at the maximum height of the trajectory the weight force is equal to the centripetal force, the

the minimum speed needed for any mass to complete the loop must be slightly higher
(due to friction) of the square root of gravity times the radius of the loop. As the
mechanical energy remains constant at the potential energy at the height of the fall must be equal to
kinetic energy plus potential energy at the highest point of the loop, thus the minimum height
the necessary drop should be slightly greater than 2.5 times the radius of the loop.

1.5 Objective(s)
Build a small roller coaster to study the relationship that exists between the
height of the fall and the size of the loop.

2 CONTEXTUALIZATION OF THE RESEARCH

In our project, we researched Looping, which allows us to study movement

circular, conservation of energy, and the basic concept of mechanical energy, which are subjects of
first year physics. To carry out a different work, we will show a way
fun to apply it, using recyclable or reusable materials whenever possible.

2.1 Historical Contextualization

The first roller coasters descend from Russia. They were sled rides in
winter that were held in mountains specially built on the ice. Its popularity was
so great that several other entrepreneurs from all over the world decided to adopt
the idea. Trying to improve it, they created cars with wheels built on tracks.
The first gravity roller coaster was built in Paris by the company Les
Roller Coasters in Belleville, in 1812. The first Looping was also built in
Paris, from an English project, in 1846, the Looping had a diameter turnaround of 3.96 meters,
However, none of these trails were complete circuits.
Based on the previous paragraphs, we can conclude that in addition to the theoretical part of

Looping, we also have the historical part that is just as important as any other.

2.2 Theoretical Contextualization

The looping basically consists of work, transforming potential energy into
kinetic energy and vice versa, in addition to theories about energy conservation, calculations,
mechanical energy, among others.

2.3 Technological Contextualization

Regarding looping, there aren't many innovations that can be made. The
roller coaster can be technologically bigger, more modern, made of steel or wood, but
it will always consolidate in the same theory of transformation from kinetic energy to potential
and vice versa.
3 THEORETICAL FOUNDATION

In the field of mechanics, the Looping is the experiment that most arouses curiosity.
public, they have the opportunity to interact and learn a little about circular motion,
aceleração centrípeta, conservação de energia, trabalho de uma força, energia potencial
gravitational, kinetic energy, mechanical energy and the principle of conservation of energy
mechanics.

3.1 Circular Motion

Circular motion is when an object moves along a circular trajectory.
this project will be carried out by the ball that will follow a circular trajectory,
In other words, it will perform a looping.

3.1.1 Centripetal acceleration

In order for there to be centripetal acceleration, a centripetal force is required. The acceleration

centripetal is generated by the variation ofdirectionvectorspeedof a piece of furniture, the acceleration

centripetal is characteristic of circular movements. It is perpendicular to the velocity and
points to the center of the curvature of the trajectory.

3.2 Energy Conservation

More important than knowing what energy is, is understanding how it behaves, how
it transforms. In many cases, the work done on a system does not cause
Modification of the kinetic energy of the system, but it is stored as potential energy.
a force is conservative if the work it does on a particle when it moves
over any closed trajectory, it is zero.

3.2.1 Work of a force

It is a measure of energy transferred by the application of a force over a
displacement will be very much used by the group to better understand how it works
process of potential energy to kinetic.
For a force F acting on a body at an angle θ with the displacement.
d, suffered by him. The work is mathematically defined by W = F.d cosθ.

W = F . d . cosθ (1)
3.2.2 Potential energy
It is the form of energy that is found in a certain system and that can be
used at any time to perform work. Before doing the Looping, the energy
potential is at its maximum value, since the ball is at the highest point of the trajectory.
As it descends, this potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, and the little ball
it accelerates, as it rises, it transforms into potential energy.
For a body of mass m that is at a height h above a reference level,
this body has a gravitational potential energy given by:

Epg = mgh (2)

3.2.3 Kinetic energy

It is the amount of work that had to be done on an object to modify it.

its speed. A little before the ball falls, potential energy will be stored in it,
that during the fall will be transformed into kinetic energy, accelerating the little ball.
For a body of mass m that moves at a velocity v, the kinetic energy is
expressed by the expression:
Ec = 1/2mv² (3)

3.2.4 Mechanical energy

This magnitude will be the basis of the project, it is the energy that can be transferred through
of a force, which will be the propulsion force of the ball. During the descent, the potential energy is
converted into kinetic energy, when the ball goes up the loop, part of the energy is
converted into kinetic energy. Mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy and energy
kinetics.

3.2.5 Principle of mechanical energy conservation

The principle of conservation of mechanical energy states that in an isolated system

consists of bodies that interact only with conservative forces, mechanical energy
total remains constant.
A body in free fall continuously loses potential energy, but at the same time
time, increases your speed, in such a way that it also increases your kinetic energy.
In the same way, if a body is launched upwards, the increase in potential energy
between two points is equal to the decrease in kinetic energy.
The principle of conservation of mechanical energy is of great importance, as it proves
also that it is impossible to get work from nothing.
If only conservative forces act on a moving body, the sum of
the kinetic energy of the body with its potential energy remains constant at any point
from the trajectory, thus the mechanical energy is given by:

Em = Ep + Ec (4)

4 METODOLOGIA

To solve the problem of this research, we will start from calculations and proportions, as the
the launch height of the ball has relation to several factors, such as the diameter of the loop,
gravity, friction, among others.

4.1 Proposed solution

We will build our prototype with aluminum rails, a wooden base and
spheres of different sizes and materials. The project will have a height of 80 cm and a diameter of
The loop will be 30 cm. To work with the materials, the group will make cuts of 1.2 cm each.
on the aluminum tracks so we can make the complete loop, the wooden bases
They will serve to support the project and the small spheres to go through the Looping.
The tests to be conducted with the prototype will be done at home.
The research of our prototype consists of the basic laws of energy conservation, which
the group gained a deeper understanding through the visit to the PUC museum,
research on websites, books, and meetings with the supervising professor. The observations that will be

made consist of discussing what factors could harm the path of the little ball, such as
loss of energy, friction, and others. The observation analyses will be made in the field notebook
and discussed among the group.

4.2 Budget
Budgets Better
Material JSM Store - - Price Cost
AL. SOL. ANOD. 3/4 R$ 5.15 - - - -
AL. SOL. ANOD. 7/8 R$ 6.34 - - - -
 AL. SOL. ANOD. R$ 1.82 - - - -
Total -

4.3 Schedule
Apr. May. Jun. Jan.

Activity
Project Introduction x x x x x x
Contextualization of the Project x x
Theoretical foundation of x
Project
Project Methodology x
Prototype construction x x x
Review of the work x x
Final report x x x x

BIBLIOGRAPHY

JUNG, Carlos Fernando. Methodology for research and development: Applied to new
technologies products and processes. Rio de Janeiro: Axcel Books of Brazil, 2004. pp.
132.