Energy Explorations with Energy Skatepark

Author: Jackie Esler , Modified by Sarah Felsing, 2!"

Student guide: Name:____________________
Go to mrsfelsing.wordpress.com and click on the link for the
1. Click on the button.
2. Eplore the simulation with !our partner and complete the following checklist:
"o#e the blue dots on the track and run the skater.
$r! out different locations.
$r! different skaters.
$r! the different energ! graphs.
%dd friction to a track.
&. 'eset the simulation. $hen make !our screen look like the picture b!
( clicking to open the bar graph
( dragging the graph closer to the track.
( ask if !ou need help
a. )iscuss the changes in the bar graph as
the skater mo#es on the track. Specificall!*
what happens to the amount of +otential
Energ! as the skater nears the bottom of
the track, -hat other t!pe.s/ of energ! is
the +otential Energ! con#erted into as the skater mo#es,
b. 0se the s!mbols to fill in the data table:
1 Esler/2011
Phet Energy Skate Park
Energy Explorations with Energy Skatepark
Author: Jackie Esler , Modified by Sarah Felsing, 2!"
( = increases, = decreases, S = stays the same)
4.
Add symbols ( S ) to complete the obser#ation statements:

%s an ob1ect mo#es down the track* the kinetic energ! _________ and the potential energ!
____________. -hen the ob1ect mo#es up the track the kinetic energ! ________ and
the potential energ! _______.
5. 2ook at !our data table and focus on the Total energy column. -rite a statement
or two about the 3total energ!4 of the ob1ect mo#ing up and down the track.
$ime to eplore friction5
2 Esler/2011
Skater6s
mo#ement
Skater
+otential
energ!
( S )
7inetic
energ!
( S )
$otal energ!
( S )
)own the hill
0p the hill
)own the hill
0p the hill
)own the hill
0p the hill
Energy Explorations with Energy Skatepark
Author: Jackie Esler , Modified by Sarah Felsing, 2!"
1. 'eset the simulation.
a/ 8pen the bar graph again
b) Click .
c/ "o#e the slider to change the friction
)iscuss the changes in the bar graph as the skater mo#es up and down on the track.
2. 0se the s!mbols to fill in the data table.
( = increases, = decreases, S = stays the same)
)iscuss an! patterns !ou see in the data table.
3. Change the skater and repeat this part o the acti!ity.
Add arrows the complete the following obser#ations. ( S )
( %s an ob1ect mo!es down the track* the kinetic energ! _________ and the potential
energ! ____________. $he total energ! __________________.
( %fter watching the bar graph while the ob1ect is mo#ing* especiall! with "lots# of friction*
write a title for the last column. 0se the s!mbols to fill in the last column.
( Complete the obser#ation statement:
%s the skater mo#es with friction* the kinetic energy and potential energy both ___*
the thermal energy________ and the total energy ________.
-rite a possible eplanation for this. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
( )iscuss what changed and what stayed the same when friction added to the skate
park .
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
3 Esler/2011
Skater6s
mo#ement
+otential energ!
( S )
7inetic energ!
( S )
$otal energ!
( S )
________
(
S )
)own hill
0p the hill
Energy Explorations with Energy Skatepark
Author: Jackie Esler , Modified by Sarah Felsing, 2!"
____________________________________________________________________
( -hich situation* with friction or without friction* is more similar to !our e#er!da!
eperience on a skateboard or bic!cle, -rite at least 2 sentences to eplain !our answer.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
4 Esler/2011