[Ioanni]

Hi there I was hoping someone could help me with my physics homeowrk/project. I built a rude goldberg machine and I need to write down all the energy transformations but I am stuck.

What my machine does:

Marble rolls down ramp a, then falls onto ramp b. Rolls down ramp b to a tube wherer is slides down. It falls into a cup which is on a see-saw. The other side of the see-saw comes up and hits a car which is on a ramp that is elevated up and the car rolls down the ramp and hits a shaft which goes through a hole which the other end of the shaft hits a row of dominoes. The dominoes fall down and the last one hit a toothpick attatched to a mousetrap which engages the trap to disengage and snap. Now the force of that pushed up a hammer the rings a bell.



I've figured out that it starts off with kinetic energy which then turns into gravity energy when it goes down the tube. And when the hammer hits the bell thats sound energy. But I'm not sure what kind of energy is in the rest of it so if any one could help that would be great.

[ncjimn]

Actually the marble starts with potential energy U = mgh, when it's moving the marble has kinetic energy (energy of motion) K = 1/2*mv^2.

In your system there is also heat energy. It looks like you are in high school, so do some google searches. You'll find lots of information.

http://www.gcse.com/energy.htm

[Oreo]

[QUOTE] Actually the marble starts with potential energy U = mgh, when it's moving the marble has kinetic energy (energy of motion) K = 1/2*mv^2. [QUOTE]


Yeh i totally agree .... and understand it... kinda ... not at all