SPACE

Potential & Kinetic Energy

POTENTIAL & KINETIC ENERGYDifferentiated Station

Labs

Write It! Station DirectionsIt is recommended that you have completed at least two of the following stations before working at this station.-Read It!-Explore It!-Watch It!-Research It!

Answer each of the task card questions on the lab sheet in complete sentences.

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How does energy change from potential to kinetic?

Describe a situation where you would see the transformation from potential to kinetic energy.

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Think of a hydropower dam. How is electrical energy produced from potential and kinetic energy?

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Assess It! Station DirectionsIt is recommended that you have completed at least two of the following stations before working at this station.-Read It!-Explore It!-Watch It!-Research It!

Each member will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the AssessIt! section.

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What is the stored energy in an object due to its position called?

A. PotentialB. GravityC. KineticD. Thermal

How does potential energy transfer to kinetic energy?

A. When it heats upB. When an object remains at

rests and charges upC. When an outside force acts

upon the object and causes it to move

D. Potential energy cannot become©KeslerScience.com kinetic

energy©KeslerScience.com

Which is an example of kinetic energy?

A. An apple falling from a treeB. A book sitting on a tableC. A plate of hot foodD. A parked car

A. AB. BC. CD. D

Which represents kinetic energy transferring into potential energy?

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Read It! Station DirectionsEach member of the group will read the passage and answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Read It! section.

It is important to remember that the answers will come directly from the reading passage.

Potential and Kinetic Energy

A roller coaster ride is a thrilling experience which involves a wealth of physics. Part of the physics of a roller coaster is the physics of work and energy. The ride often begins as a chain and motor (or other mechanical device) exerts a force on the train of cars to lift the train to the top of a vary tall hill. Once the cars are lifted to the top of thehill, gravity takes over and the remainder of the ride is an experience in energy transformation.

At the top of the hill, the cars possess a large quantity of potential energy. Potential energy - the energy of vertical position - isdependent upon the mass of the object and the height of the object. The car's large quantity of potential energy is due to the fact that they are elevated to a large height above the ground.

As the cars descend the first drop they lose much of this potential energy in accord with their loss of height. The cars subsequently gain kinetic energy.

Kinetic energy - the energy of motion - is dependent upon the mass of the object and the speed of the object. The train of coaster cars speeds up as they lose height. Thus, their original potential energy (due to their large height) is transformed into kinetic energy (revealed by their high speeds).

As the ride continues, the train of cars are continuously losing and gaining height. Each gain in height corresponds to the loss of speed as kinetic energy (due to speed) is transformed into potential energy (due to height). Each loss in height corresponds to a gain of speed as potential energy (due to height) is transformed into kinetic energy (due to speed).

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What is the force that acts upon a rollercoaster after it reaches the top of the hill?

A. Kinetic energyB. MassC. Potential energyD. Gravity

At which position does the rollercoaster have the greatest potential energy?

A. At the top of the hillB. Halfway down the hillC. Towards the bottom of the hillD. At the top of a smaller hill.

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A. SafeB. MovingC. Stored

Another word for kinetic energy could be energy.

Using the diagram on the reading, at which point would the cars be losingpotential energy and gaining kinetic?

A. At the top of the hillB. Halfway down the hillC. At the bottom of the hill

D. Potential

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D. Going up the second hill

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Watch It! Station DirectionsEach member of the group will go to the website listed on task card #1

Complete the task cards in order.

Every student will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Watch It! section of the lab sheet.

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Study Jams:http://goo.gl/N44TRJ

URL is case-sensitive

1. Click Play on the video.2. Answer questions from

cards#2-4 on your lab sheet.

Study Jams

What is energy?

What is the difference between potential and kinetic energy?

After watching the video describe a situation where an object would have potential energy transformed into kinetic energy?

Research It! Station DirectionsEach member of the group will go to the website listed on task card #1

Complete the task cards in order.

Every student will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Research It! section.

1. Go tohttp://goo.gl/fWiuwz

1. Press PLAY to watch the rollercoaster go through the track.

2. Press STEP to see therollercoaster stop at each

1. On your lab sheet describe what is happening to the energy along each of the 6 steps of the rollercoaster.

different stage. ©KeslerScience.com

Explore It! Station Directions

One member of the group will read the task cards in order. The group will be responsible for completing each of the tasks that are being read.

Each member of the group will then write their conclusions down on the lab sheet in the Explore It! section.

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1. Use the two foam pieces and toothpicks to make a rollercoaster at least 1 meter tall and has a loop after a big drop.

2. See if you can make the marble go through your coaster.

Answer the following on your lab sheet.

1. Draw a diagram of your coaster.

2. What is the force that causesthe ball to move?

3. Why does the ball eventually stop?

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Gravitational Potential Energy is energy that is stored due to its positon.

At the tallest part of your rollercoaster the marble has the most potential energy. When the mass of the marble is increased the potential increases.

1. Label PE (potential) on your diagram.

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Kinetic Energy is the energy of motion.

Near the bottom of the tallest hill onyour rollercoaster the ball will be moving the fastest, therefore it will have the most kinetic energy.

1. Label KE (kinetic) on your diagram.

up on your diagram.

The law of conservation of energy says that energy cannot be created ordestroyed, only transformed.

As the ball rolls down the hill the ball is losing potential energy but gaining kinetic energy. This is an energy transformation.1. Label PE going down and KE going

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Answer the following on your lab sheet.

1. As the coaster goes back up the second hill what is happening to the energy?

2. Where would you also see mostly potential energy in your model?

Illustrate It! Station Directions

Each member of the group will draw a quick sketch on the lab sheet that shows they understand the concept that is being taught.

Use the colored pencils and markers that are provided.

The directions for the sketch are provided on the task card at the table.

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Illustrate It! Station DirectionsUse the colored pencils to draw a model that illustrates potential energy, kinetic energy, and gravity. Be sure to label the following:

- 100% Potential Energy- 100% Kinetic Energy- Potential Energy decreasing, Kinetic

energy increasing- Force of gravity

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Organize It! Station DirectionsIt is recommended that you have completed at least twoof the following stations before working at this station.-Read It!-Explore It!-Watch It!-Research It!

Each group will organize the cards. Each of the cards will be used. Once you are complete please have the teacher sign off on your lab sheet.

Please mix up the cards again before the next group arrives at this station.

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Kinetic Energy

Potential Energy

Book on a shelf

Skier at the top of a hill

Pendulum at its highest point

Stretched out rubber band

A flowing river

A meteor entering the atmosphere

Bicycling down a ramp

A snowboarder coming down a mountain