Loop-the-Loop as a Real Tribomechanical System Applicable in Engineering Education

Abstract

Using a "loop-the-loop" system, the authors developed a double-track apparatus and based their experimental research on theoretical foundations related to the motion on an inclined plane laid by Leonhard Euler. The method enabled the quantification of very small "energy losses". The paper presents the results of experimental research and the analysis of the changes in friction force and other causes of energy dissipation. In engineering education, the method contributes to a deep understanding of the concept of energy transformation – the appearance of "energy losses" in real tribomechanical systems.

Keywords

• energy losses
• loop-the-loop
• friction
• engineering education