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Energy Skate Park PhET Lab Guide

The document summarizes a PhET simulation lab on energy transformations using an energy skate park. Students will use the simulation to explore how a skater's position affects speed and potential and kinetic energies. They will examine energy transformations and relate speed to potential and kinetic energy by making predictions and testing them on sample tracks in the simulation.

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2K views4 pages

Energy Skate Park PhET Lab Guide

The document summarizes a PhET simulation lab on energy transformations using an energy skate park. Students will use the simulation to explore how a skater's position affects speed and potential and kinetic energies. They will examine energy transformations and relate speed to potential and kinetic energy by making predictions and testing them on sample tracks in the simulation.

Uploaded by

api-357642569
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PreAP Physics Energy Skate Park PhET Lab

Today, you will use the Energy Skate Park Lab to explore energy transformations
and determine how the position of a skater affects his speed and potential and
kinetic energies.

Beginning Observations

1) Open the Energy Skate Park PhET Simulation. What can you change about the
simulation?

2) On the track of your choice, select Show Pie Chart What three types of energy
are show in the chart? Write the three types and their definitions below.

Part 1 Energy Transformations

1) Create your own track or select one of the premade tracks. Draw four points on
your track that you would like to investigate.

2) Fill in the predictions column by sketching what you think the Energy pie chart
will look like for the ball at your four points. Then, use the simulation to test your
ideas and explain any differences.

Point Prediction Simulation Explain Differences


1

3
4

3) The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or


destroyed. Therefore, energy can only be transformed. Use this statement to
answer the questions that follow.

a) What type(s) of energy did the skater have at the skaters highest point?

b) What type(s) of energy did the skater at his lowest point?

c) What type of energy transformation did you see between the highest and lowest
point in the motion of the skater?

Part 2 Relating Speed to Potential and Kinetic Energy

4) Label on the track where you predict


the skater will is

a) at his maximum speed


b) stopped
c) going his average speed
d) going slow
e) going fast

5) On the graph to the right label where you predict the skater is
a) at his maximum speed
b) stopped
c) going his average speed
d) going slow
e) going fast

6) Test your ideas using the Double Well


Roller Coaster track.

a) Make any modifications to your answers in RED on the images for Questions 4
and 5.

b) If one of your friends asked you for help in making sense of the type of graph in
Question 4. How would you explain what it is showing? *Consider: What is on each
axis? What types of energy are being graphed?

c) Using the graph in Question 5, what can you say about the total energy of the
skater?

Post Lab

7) The diagram below shows a frictionless track.


Assume a skater were to complete
the track. At which positions is
the sum of the potential and kinetic energy of the same? Explain.

8) Using the diagram in Question 7, assume that the skater moves from point 1 to
point 2. What type of energy transformation would exist in the movement between
those two points?

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