Prescribed practical P5: Measuring personal power
A guide to carrying out a practical to investigate personal power
What is the purpose of prescribed practical P5?
To plan and carry out experiments to measure personal power, by measuring the time taken to climb a staircase or performing a number of step-ups to a platform.
What apparatus is required for prescribed practical P5?
1 short flight of stairs, a 50 cm rule, a stop clock, bathroom scales marked in kg.
What method is used in carrying out prescribed practical P5?
Measure the persons mass in kg using bathroom scales.
Convert it to weight using W = mg. This equals the upward force that will move up the stairs.
Measure the height of 1 step using the 50 cm rule. Record in m in a suitable table. Repeat for two more steps and calculate the average height in m.
Count the number of steps and record.
Calculate the vertical height = number of steps x average height of 1 step.
Calculate the work done = force x vertical height.
Time the person running the stairs. Record in the table. After a rest repeat the experiment and calculate average time.
Calculate the persons average power using: power = \(\frac{work~done}{time~taken}\).
| Hazard | Consequence | Control measures |
|---|---|---|
| Steps | Fall | The flight of stairs should be short. Do not run up the steps too quickly. Go one step at a time. |
| Steps | Collision | Only one person at a time should carry out the experiment |
| Steps | Fall/Collision | Walk back down the steps and make sure nobody is running up |
More on Unit 3 (a): Prescribed practicals
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