Mechanicle energy
What is the outcome variable?
Hypothesis
Complete the hypothesis statement by filling in the blank.
If the height that an object is dropped is increased, the object will bounce higher and
therefore have .
Name: Date:
Lesson 05.06: Mechanical Energy
Lesson Assessment: Mechanical Energy
Materials
• Rubber ball
• Meter stick
Procedure
1. Stand the meter stick up on the ground so that the zero is on the floor. Ask your friend or
family member to sit in front of it so they can read the measurements.
2. Hold the rubber ball at the 50 cm (0.5 m) mark and drop it straight down. Have your friend or
family member watch how high the ball bounces according to the meter stick. Record this
height in the Observations section. Repeat this twice more and record all three heights.
3. Hold the rubber ball at the top of the meter stick and repeat the experiment. Record three
heights from three separate trials.
4. Hold the rubber ball at a height of 1.5 m and repeat the experiment. Again, record data from
three trials.
Observations
Complete the table with your observations.
Bounce Height (cm)
First Trial
Bounce Height (cm)
Second Trial
Bounce Height (cm)
Third Trial
Dropped from
50 cm
Dropped from
100 cm
Dropped from
150 cm
Name: Date:
Lesson 05.06: Mechanical Energy
Lesson Assessment: Mechanical Energy
Conclusion
How does increasing the height of an object affect its mechanical energy? Use your observations to
support your answer.
Why was it important to drop the ball from the same height three times? Why were the numbers
slightly different?
Name: Date:
Lesson 05.06: Mechanical Energy
Lesson Assessment: Mechanical Energy
Why would other scientists want to see observations from your three trials?
