Gravitational potential energy and elastic potential engery are related and easily observed in this experiment. When the stretch of the rubber band was shorter, there was a greater result of gravitational potential energy. However, there should have been more height and gravitational potential energy with a longer stretch of the rubber band. If the rocket starts lower in the launcher, there is more of an opportunity to fly higher, thus producing more elastic potential energy. When there is more elastic potential energy, it will lead to a larger quantity of gravitational potential energy.
While collecting this data and creating the documentation, there were many places for possible errors. When we were flying the rocket, we came across one conflict in the data collection. As mentioned before, when there was a shorter stretch of the rubber band (three centimeters), there was more gravitational potential energy and height. This did not go with the relationship between elastic potential energy and gravitational potential energy. I am unsure of how this occurred, but it did not go with the facts of the relationship. Lastly, there are possible ways that this lab could be enhanced. Possible changes include a change of the manipulated variable and responding variable. There could be another element included that would take the role of the manipulated variable. Other than that, this lab was a helpful way to visualize calculations of gravitational potential energy.
