Soup Can Lab Instructions

 You must use two cans of soup. One is a consommé and the other is a cream soup. The cans must have the same-labelled mass and have the same dimensions at least to eye. It is better if the soups chosen do not have chunks of material in them.

These cans are to be rolled down two ramps and then on to a flat surface. The slope must be otherwise smooth and so must be the floor. One slope is to be slight permitting the consommé can to roll further. The other must be much steeper and result in the cream soup rolling further. You may have to cover the slopes with some material to prevent the can from slipping. You may also modify the floor ramp interface to allow the can to smoothly transfer from the ramp to the floor without appreciable bouncing. (If you think this matters)


In either case, one soup can will roll further than the other. Why? I want a complete analysis of the energy that is imparted to these cans and where it goes. What is going on inside the cans? What is the reason for the variation or lack thereof in the results from the two ramps? Justify your theory with some intelligent analyses. Full uncertainty analysis is expected. Innovative techniques to obtain better results are of interest.


Your report will follow all the constraints given in the course package. However, it will also conform to the page limit set forth below. Using appropriate and reasoned analysis your report must answer the question as why one can rolled further (in both experiments) and discuss using mathematical models the probable situation inside the cans during both experiments as can be inferenced by motion of same.

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