A student must determine the effect of friction on the mechanical energy of a small block as it slides up a ramp. The block is launched with an initial speed vo from point A along a horizontal surface of negligible friction. It then slides up a ramp, where friction is not negligible, that is inclined at angle with respect to
the horizontal, as shown in the figure. The student measures the maximum vertical height h attained by the block while on the ramp, labeled as point in the
figure. At point B, the block comes to rest. The student performs three trials with the ramp at different angles, launching the block at the same initial speed vo
for each trial. The results from the trials are displayed in the table.
How should the student use the data collected and the known quantities from the experiment to determine the initial total mechanical energy of the block-ramp-
Earth system for all trials in the experiment?