Objectives
- Students will describe the variables that affect potential energy and kinetic energy
- Students will explore the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy
- Students will describe the total energy as the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy
- Students will explore the affect of friction on kinetic energy and potential energy
Vocabulary
- potential energy (PE)
- kinetic energy (KE)
- total energy (TE)
- mass
- velocity friction
- gravitational force
- acceleration due to gravity
About the Lesson
Adapted from a PhETTM simulation, this lesson involves students simulating the motion of a skateboarder on a ramp under a number of different conditions that affect the potential and kinetic energies of the skateboarder-celestial body system.
As a result, students will:
- Describe the variables used to calculate potential energy.
- Describe the variables used to calculate kinetic energy.
- Explore conservation of energy.
- Explore how potential energy, kinetic energy, and the energy from friction account for the total energy of the skateboarder.
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