MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE 3 DYNAMICS LAB REPORT: WHEEL AND ACCELERATION

SYED AWN MOHAMMAD (101668714) BACHELORS IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (BMEng) YEAR 2

INTRODUCTION:
The wheel and axle is a simple machine that is generally is classified as a lever and provides mechanical advantage. The mechanical advantage is the ratio of the resistance to the effort. It consists of a rod attached to a wheel so that their movements are coupled when one of the parts is turned. When the axle is turned, the outside of the wheel turns at a greater linear speed because the rotational speed is the same. This principle is used in cars to gain more distance by applying a large torque (from the engine) to the axle, causing the wheels, which have a much larger radius, to turn. In the reverse case, when a force is applied to the wheel, more torque is created with less force. The result is proportional to the ratio of the radii.

OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this experiment is to calculate and predict the time taken for a wheel to roll on its axle down a slope using energy methods and consequently compare the result of a practical situation against a theoretically calculated result to decide whether the prediction is as close to the real situation or not. Here the situation is that the time is compared for a wheel to roll on its axle down a slope by first doing it practically and then theoretically calculating it using the conservation of energy method.

THEORY:
The mechanical advantage of a simple machine like the wheel and axle is computed as the ratio of the resistance to the effort. The larger the ratio the greater the multiplication of force (torque) created or distance achieved. By varying the radii of the axle and/or wheel, any amount of mechanical advantage may be gained. In this manner, the size of the wheel may be increased to an inconvenient extent. In this case a system or combination of wheels (often toothed, that is, gears) are used. As a wheel and axle is a type of lever, a system of wheels and axles is like a compound lever. For the Actual Acceleration of a distance s the following formula will be used:

For the Actual Velocity:

As in this case the frictional loss of energy is neglected theoretically, hence the entire potential energy at the start of the experiment is converted into kinetic energy using the conservation of energy principle. The formulas to be used for the theoretical values are shown below:

The angular acceleration does not have to be found as the linear velocity is related to it, using the following equation:

The recorded times have to be averaged to find a more accurate time, hence, the following equation has to be used: ( ) ( )

The height fallen by the wheel and axle can be found by the scale method as the total distance of slope and total height of the slope is known, while the distance moved is also chosen, hence: ( )

The polar moment of inertia of the wheel is a standard equation as shown below:

While the equations of linear motion are used, when the velocity is acquired, to find the acceleration of the body and consequently the time the wheel and axle took to reach the desired distance. The equations that will be used are shown below:

Then to find the percentage error between the calculated and experimental values the following formula will be used:

APPARATUS:
Digital caliper:
The Digital Caliper (sometimes incorrectly called the Digital Vernier Caliper) is a precision instrument that can be used to measure internal and external distances extremely accurately. It

will be used to measure the diameter of the wheel and axle respectively in mm. Digital caliper

Weighing Scale: A weighing scale (usually just "scales" in UK and Australian English, "weighing machine" in south Asian English or "scale" in US English) is a measuring instrument for determining the weight or mass of an object. A spring scale measures weight by the distance a spring deflects under its load. A balance compares the torque on the arm due to the sample weight to the torque on the arm due to a standard reference weight using a horizontal lever. It will be used, in this experiment, to measure the mass of the wheel.

Weighing scale

Wheel and Axle: The wheel and axle is another simple machine. The axle is a rod that goes through the wheel. This lets the wheel turn. It is easy to move things from place to place with wheels and axles. Hear it will be moved to test the time it takes to move down a slope. Slope base: It is the angled base on which the wheel and axle will be moved to record its time taken to reach the required distance, in this case the furthest distance recorded will be 500mm. Whee l

Axle

Slope Base

Measuring tape: A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible form of ruler. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fiber glass, or metal strip with linear-measurement markings. It is a common measuring tool. Its flexibility allows for a measure of great length to be easily carried in pocket or toolkit and permits one to measure around curves or corners. It will be used to measure the distance of the slope in mm, and also the height fallen for a slope of 500mm in mm. Measuring Tape

Stopwatch:
A stopwatch is a handheld timepiece designed to measure the amount of time elapsed from a particular time when activated to when the piece is deactivated. It will be used to record the

time the wheel and axle took to reach the required distance.

Stopwatch

Variables used:
v= linear velocity a= linear acceleration =angular velocity m= mass of wheel = radius of wheel r= radius of axle h=height fallen by the wheel and axle s=distance moved I=polar moment of inertia t=time taken for the wheel and axle to reach the distance

PROCEDURE:
Firstly the stated apparatus is obtained, then, the wheel and axle is weighed on the weighing scale to record its mass. The digital caliper is used to measure the diameters of the axle and the wheel. The measuring tape is used to measure the height and distance of the slope along which the wheel and axle will roll down. Then the wheel and axle is placed at the top of the slope and left for motion such that it moves along its axle, while at the same time the stop watch is started to record the time it takes to reach the desired distance. Then when it reaches the end point the stop watch is stopped. The same procedure of rolling down the wheel and axle along the same distance is done thrice and the average value considered so that a more accurate value is obtained and human error of reaction time is reduced. In this particular experiment the distances the wheel and axle was rolled down were 200, 400 and 500mm respectively.

RESULTS:
Distance Recorded Moved(mm) Times(s) 200 400 500 4.5, 4.53, 4.28 6.66, 6.66, 6.46 7.25, 7.47, 7.40 Average Recorded Time(s) 4.437 6.593 7.373 ( )

( ) ( ) ( )

Mass of Diameter Wheel Axle(mm) (kg) (Ignoring Mass of Axle) 5.30 12

Diameter Wheel(m m)

Distance Height Average Moved(m Fallen(mm) Recorded m) Time(s)

Actual Actual Velocity(m/s) acceleration (m/ )

119

200 400 500

42 84 105

4.437 6.593 7.373

0.0901 0.121 0.136

0.0203 0.0184 0.0184

Calculated velocity(m/s) 0.128 0.181 0.202

Calculated Calculated acceleration(m/ ) time(s) 0.0411 3.114 0.0411 4.403 0.0411 4.940

% error of time 42.5 49.7 49.3

% error of velocity 24.1 33.1 32.7

% error of acceleration 50.6 55.2 55.2

For Actual Acceleration of a distance of 200mm:

( )

m/ For Actual Velocity:

)(

For the height fallen of a distance moved of 200mm: ( )

For the theoretical values of velocity, acceleration and time:

( ) ( ) ( ( ) )( )

Linear Acceleration equations:

DISCUSSION:
The graphs for the coinciding experimental and calculated values are shown below:

As it can be seen above that the values for the time and the range of the time are greater for the experimental values graph than the calculated values graph, this can be due to the reasons of ignoring the friction between the axle and the slope theoretically and also ignoring the mass of the axle which in turn led to the polar moment of inertia also being less, the air resistance that increases with speed is also not considered, there is always human error when measuring

the time of a moving system as with the increase of the distance moved the wheel gains so much speed that the stopwatch can either be stopped just before the wheel and axle reaches the end point or after it passes the end point. All these are the reasons why the actual values for time were almost half of the calculated values, hence the percentage error of the values of time is almost 50%, while for velocity it was almost 30% and for acceleration almost 52% as all these resistive factors were neglected during calculation. It can also be seen that the acceleration values are constant for the calculated values and for the actual values it is increases until it is constant. This is due to inertia of the system.

CONCLUSION:
It can be easily noticed that there is much difference in experimental and calculated values, as a couple of factors were ignored, such as friction between axle and slope surface, the mass of the axle, external wind, and human error. All these led to the time of the calculated time to be less than the actual time and subsequently the calculated velocity to be greater than the actual velocity. So it is concluded that ignoring such important factors led to the prediction to be very different than the actual situation and it would not be recommended that simple calculations are relied upon when practical situations are considered.

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM:

Carry out more tests for a more accurate value for time. Measure the mass of the axle to include in the calculations and also the polar moment of inertia. Use lubricant on the slope to reduce friction with the axle.

REFERENCES:
1. Wheel and Axle, The World Book Encyclopedia, World Book Inc., 1998, pp. 280-281 Elroy McKendree Avery, Elementary Physics, New York Sheldon & Company, 1878.

2.

Bowser, Edward Albert. An elementary treatise on analytic mechanics: with numerous examples. (Originally from the University of Michigan) D. Van Nostrand Company, 1890 pp. 190 3. Fuller RW and Brownlee RB, Laboratory Exercises to Accompany Carhart and Chutes First Principles of Physics. swagn and Bacon, 1913 pp. 107-109 4. Bowser, Edward Albert. An elementary treatise on analytic mechanics: with numerous examples. (Originally from the University of Michigan) D. Van Nostrand Company, 1890 pp. 190 and following 5. Baker, C.E. The Principles and Practice of Statics and Dynamics for the Use of Schools and Private Students. London: John Weale, 59, High Holborn. 1851 pp. 26-29