ARE YOU READY TO BUNGEE JUMP?

You and your team own a bungee jumping company called “Jumps R Us”. The company has started another jumping location off the balcony of Vanier Hall at the University of Windsor. There needs to be some accurate testing done before the company can open this site up to the public. Don’t take this challenge lightly! Your team will be responsible for the safety and well being of the WEIGHT that we will be testing off the balcony.

Your team’s challenge is to calculate the length of bungee cord that you will use to make the riskiest fall…. You must try and get the WEIGHT to fall as close to the target as possible without actually hitting the target!!

You will be given everything you need below to make this calculation. You will be given all the necessary materials. You must summon all of your expert math skills to make this daring calculation! Your team will have only one chance to test your calculated results and you will be marked on how close the WEIGHT comes to the target and how much time you spend to come up with your results…. Good Luck to all!!

Materials:

Measuring tape, mass, bungee cords, calculator, straws, paper clips, protractor.

Hint: To be successful at this event a combination of prior knowledge is required. You must use Conservation of Energy and Hooke’s Law.

Given Values:
Spring Constant k = (give them this)
You must know the value for g
You can measure the value for h

By comparing Energy Total (Ep) and Energy Total after (Ee) you can figure out the value of x. You can use this to determine the length of bungee to use to get the mass to fall the closest to the floor.

Ep – Energy Potential
Ee – Energy Stored in the Elastic