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Elizabeth Knox & Kara Kimos

May 12, 2017

GT Design Challenge Report

Period 5

Energy Transformation and the Law of Conservation of Energy

Within our device, energy is transferred throughout the elements so that it operates

successfully. The goal of the device is that when someone runs inside of a hamster wheel fit for

humans, they transfer energy to a conveyor belt. From here, shelves help the belt run either up or

down a hill, carrying objects like wood. The audience that would most benefit from this

process consists of adults looking to make their yard work less labor-intensive. Energy that one

would spend hauling wood and injuring ones back could instead be spent running. By simply

changing the way a task is completed uses the same amount of energy more effectively and

safely. Even older children could benefit from the mechanism when trying to move snow

equipment up the hill. Energy never disappears; it can be transformed and transferred but never

terminated. In our device, the same is true, as energy is transferred throughout the mechanism

while it fulfills its task. Indicators provide evidence of what types of energy are transferred in

each operation. It is also clear that changing the degree of intensity of certain components can

alter the amount of energy in the device.

A major element of the devices functionality is the transfer of energy from the hamster

wheel to the supporting axle. (See Figure 1.) The wheel has the potential to host kinetic energy

when a person is about to generate energy for it. The then kinetic energy is transferred to the axle
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which continues to move the energy throughout the device. The cause of turning the wheel and

its thereafter effect of turning the axle allows for the conclusion that the energy is kinetic; both

parts are moving. Because one would do work on the wheel by changing its position, the amount

of kinetic energy transferred would change. Within energy transformations, The work done is

equal to the change in kinetic energy, (EN 56) according to the Energy PBIS textbook. The

amount of energy transferred is dependent on the force being applied through work. If the person

was to run at a faster pace as opposed to walking, the energy would transfer more quickly and

efficiently. The device does not use all the energy it generates kinetically. Because it never

disappears, as stated in the law of conservation of energy, the energy is transferred into the air

and even through thermal energy created by friction between the moving parts. Additionally,

some sound energy is emitted with the turning of the wheel. This transformation can be

identified by the slight emission of sound when the wheel circles.

Next, the design operates by transferring energy from its first axle to the conveyor belt.

One can tell that energy is transferred due to the indication of motion. As the belt moves, a frame

of reference allows one to see the belt cycle around the axles. The amount of energy transferred

can be affected by the weight of the material the conveyor belt carries. When weighted down by

greater mass, more of the conveyor belts energy is needed to move the object as some of the

energy is provided to whatever it is carrying. To help make an efficient transformation, more

supports could be added in the future to keep the belt from sagging as little as possible. As

included in the Energy PBIS textbook, Mass and speed are factors that determine the amount of

kinetic energy an object has If a softball and a baseball are thrown at the same speed, the

softball will have the greater kinetic energy because it has a greater mass (EN 52). In the case of
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our prototype, a greater load would have a greater mass, therefore requiring more kinetic energy

in order to do work. Regardless of the required amount of energy, it never disappears as the

machine continues to need energy that allows it to operate. Still, any unused energy would

transfer into the air and other components of the design.

Finally, the device transfers energy from its belt to the object itself. The energy

transferred to the object is an amount of gravitational potential energy. The shelves installed

limit this amount as they keep the objects from falling off of the belt in either direction. (See

Figure 3) The Energy PBIS Textbook mentions Galileos experiment in which he dropped two

balls of different masses from the same height. He found that the balls landed at the same time,

but because the kinetic energy is greater, the heavier ball makes a bigger dent in the clay (EN

70). In application to our device, more kinetic energy provided throughout it will allow for the

transfer of objects with greater masses. Since greater mass creates a greater amount of potential

gravitational energy, the shelves work to counteract the energy so that the device can make the

most of its kinetic energy in whichever direction the audience wants to maneuver it on the hill.

The transferral of especially kinetic energy is essential to the way the device operates.

When energy is emitted, as supported by the law of conservation of energy, it is transferred

either to another part of the device to be efficiently used or to its surroundings. The gravitational

potential energy encountered is restricted by the shelves so that the device can work at its utmost

capacity. In conserving energy, the device can effectively transfer an object successfully up or

down a slope. When enough energy is contributed to the device in proportion to the load it is

carrying, it is a true success.

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Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3