Name:_____________________________________________

Hour:____________

Kinetic Energy at a Skate Park

Getting Started:
If the simulation is not already loaded, click on the icon on the desktop called energy-skatepark_en.jar to open it.
Part 1
1. Go to the Tracks tab at the top left of the screen and choose the Double Well (Roller
Coaster) track.
2. Set the track friction to something higher than none.
3. Stop the skater at points A, B, and C as he/she moves across the tracks, and draw the
energy bar graph at each point.

A
B

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total
B

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total

1. Click on the Edit Skater button and change its mass. Run the simulation again and
stop it at the same 3 points. How did the mass change affect the kinetic energy? Circle
one.
KE increased

KE decreased

KE stayed the same

2. Change the velocity of the skater by adjusting his/her starting height. Run the
simulation again and stop it at the same 3 points. How did the change in velocity affect
the kinetic energy? Circle one.
KE increased

KE decreased

KE stayed the same

Part 2
Click and drag the tracks around to build your own skate park, or pick a different track from the
Tracks tab. Sketch the track below, and label 3 points A, B, and C.

3. Stop the skater at points A, B, and C as he/she moves across the tracks, and draw the
energy bar graph at each point.
A

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total
B

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total
C

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total

4. Click on the Edit Skater button and change its mass. Run the simulation again and
stop it at the same 3 points. How did the mass change affect the kinetic energy? Circle
one.
KE increased

KE decreased

KE stayed the same

5. Change the velocity of the skater by adjusting his/her starting height. Run the
simulation again and stop it at the same 3 points. How did the change in velocity affect
the kinetic energy? Circle one.
KE increased

KE decreased

KE stayed the same

Part 3
Click and drag the tracks around to build a new skate park, or pick a different track from the
Tracks tab. Sketch the track below, and label 3 points A, B, and C.

6. Stop the skater at points A, B, and C as he/she moves across the tracks, and draw the
energy bar graph at each point.
A

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total
B

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total

Kinetic
Potential
Thermal
Total

7. Click on the Edit Skater button and change its mass. Run the simulation again and
stop it at the same 3 points. How did the mass change affect the kinetic energy? Circle
one.
KE increased

KE decreased

KE stayed the same

8. Change the velocity of the skater by adjusting his/her starting height. Run the
simulation again and stop it at the same 3 points. How did the change in velocity affect
the kinetic energy? Circle one.
KE increased

KE decreased

KE stayed the same