Allisson Sorto
Name:_________________
Stair-Climbing Power Lab
Background Information:
Work equals force times the distance through which the force acts. Force is expressed in newtons (N) and
distance is expressed in meters (m). Work is expressed in newton-meters, or the simplification, joules (J).
The rate at which work is done is called power. Power equals work divided by time. If work is in joules (J)
and time is in seconds (s), power is expressed in joules/second, or the simplification watts (W).
Objectives:
1) Determine how much power you generate while climbing the stairs.
2) Practice calculating work and power.
Materials: scale, tape measure, stairs, and a stopwatch.
Pre-Lab: What are the equations for weight, work, and power?
Weight (Fw) Work Power
W= mg W
W=Fd P=
t
Procedure: Step #1 – Calculate your mass.
● Determine your approximate weight in pounds. Convert this value into kilograms. Show your work
below for the calculation of your mass.
● Write down your mass in the space below.
Mass (kg):
Step #2 – Calculate your force
● Using the equation for weight (written in the pre-lab) and your mass (determined in Step #1),
calculate your force. Show your work below for the calculation of your force.
● Write down the force you calculated in the space below.
Force (N): 440N
Step #3 – Measuring distance
● Using a tape measure, measure the height (in meters) of the staircase from the floor to the highest
step climbed. Record this distance in the data table.
Distance (m): 4.27 meters
Step #4 – Calculate work
● Using the equation for work (written in the pre-lab) and your force (step #2) & distance
measurement (step #3), calculate the work performed. Show your work below for the calculation of
your work.
Work = Force X distance
Work = 440N X 4.27m = 1878.8
● Write down the work you calculated in the space below.
Work (J): 1,878.8 J
Step #5 – Run the stairs (Carefully)
● Run up the stairs as quickly and as safely as possible while your lab partner times you. Record the
times as accurately as possible.
Fast Time (s) Slow Time (s)
Trial 1: 10.19 Trial 1: 18.74
Trial 2: 9.40 Trial 2: 18.20
Trial 3: 9.41 Trial 3: 18.60
Step #6 – Calculate power
● Using the equation for power (written in the pre-lab), your work calculations (step #4), and your
time (step #5), calculate the power generated for each of the three trials. Show your work below for
the calculation of your power.
Slow: Fast:
1878.8 / 18.74 = 100.26 1878.8 / 10.19 = 184.38
1878.8 / 18.20 = 103.23 1878.8 / 9.40 = 199.87
1878.8 / 18.60 = 101.01 1878.8 / 9.41 = 199.66
● Write down the values for power in the table below. Average the 3 values to determine your average
power output when climbing the stairs.
Slow Power (W)
Trial 1: 100.26
Trial 2: 103.23
Trial 3: 101.01
Average: 101.5
Fast Power (W)
Trial 1: 184.38
Trial 2: 199.87
Trial 3: 199.66
Average: 194.64
Questions
1. Was the amount of work you performed the same for each trial? Why?
The amount of work remained the same for each trial because the
distance I walked/ran was the same and my weight was also the
same.
2. Was the amount of power you generated the same for each trial? Why?
The amount of power I generated for each trial was different because
the speed at which I climbed up the stairs was different for each trial.
3. If you climbed the stairs more slowly would this affect the amount of work you did?
No because the distance I walk and my weight are still the same
despite how fast or slow I climb the stairs.
4. If you climbed the stairs more slowly would this affect the amount of power you generated?
Yes because the faster I climb the stairs, the more power I generate,
therefore if I climbed the stairs more slowly I would generate less
power.
5. What is the difference between work and power?
Work is the amount of force applied over a distance
and power is the amount of work done in a certain
amount of time.
6. Two people with the exact same mass are going from the parking lot to the entrance to the school.
One person takes the stairs and the other takes the ramp. Which person is doing more work?
Explain.
They are both doing the same amount of work because they have
the same mass and are walking the same distance.
