Coaster Physics Explore Conservation of Energy by Experimenting with Marble Roller Coasters and Pendulums
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Coaster Physics Explore conservation of energy by experimenting with marble roller coasters and pendulums. Grade Level: 6th Grade Next Generation Science Excellence in Environmental Standards Education Guidelines Phenomena: What gives objects potential and MS-PS2-2. Plan an investigation to Strand 1— Questioning, kinetic energy? provide evidence that the change in Analysis and Interpretation: A) an object’s motion depends on the Questioning—Learners are able sum of the to develop questions that help Objectives: forces on the object and the mass of them learn about the Students will explain the the object. environment and do simple difference between potential investigations. B) Designing and kinetic energy. Science and Engineering investigations— Learners are Students will provide an Practices (SEP): able to design simple example of conservation of Planning and carrying out investigations. C) Collecting energy. investigations. information— Learners are able Asking questions and defining to locate and collect information Materials: problems. about the environment and Marbles (1 per group) environmental topics. G) Disciplinary Core Ideas: Drawing conclusions and Foam pipe insulation (3-5 ft/ PS2.A: Forces and Motion developing explanations— group) PS2.B: Types of Interactions Learners can develop simple Protractors explanations that address their Tape measures or yard sticks Cross Cutting Concepts: questions about the Masking tape Cause and Effect environment. String Systems and System Models Washers Stability and Change Bouncing ball Toothpicks Appendixes: Time Considerations: Preparation: 45 minutes our food or are inside Introduction: 5 minutes Background Activity 1: 15 minutes batteries have what is called Activity 2: 25 minutes The term energy is commonly chemical energy. Heat, light, Conclusion: Remaining time associated with the electricity and sound are also types of Related Lesson Plans: in our homes and the gasoline energy. we use to power our cars. However energy comes from The idea that energy is many more sources than necessary for motion is widely fossil fuels or electric current. accepted. People need Energy plays a role in every chemical energy from food; aspect of the natural world. cars need heat energy from burning gasoline. However Many types of energy are flowing rivers, rolling rocks, more difficult to recognize and blowing leaves all have than something like electricity. energy as well. The molecules that make up 1 swing. At the very top of each swing slows down. Doing the Activity swing, the swinger has all Roller coasters are a more potential energy. As she comes exciting application of this down, that energy changes until science. While an electric motor all of the energy is kinetic at the often carries roller coaster The energy responsible for trains to the top of the first hill, motion is called kinetic energy. the rest of the ride is almost Kinetic energy depends on the mass and velocity of the moving object so even objects moving at the same speed can have different energy. (Hyperphysics) For example a house cat and a white tailed deer can both run at speeds up to 30mph. Yet This little girl has only potential energy at the top of her swing.(swing) even though they can go the same speed the deer weighs very bottom of the swing. much more than the cat so it (Physics.about.com) has more energy. A common way to visualize the (Factmonster) changing energy is using a The first hill of the American Eagle is 147 feet model called energy buckets. tall so riders can coast along 4,650 feet of track without motors or engines. (Frank Prager, Six It’s easy to imagine that all Energy buckets are always Flags) moving things have energy, but “full” but the ratio of kinetic and even a rock sitting on top of a always powered by the hill has energy. It has the potential to roll down the hill so P.E. K.E. Preparation P.E. the energy that many objects K.E. K.E. P.E have at rest is called potential a b c d potential energy at that tallest energy. Just like kinetic energy, Energy buckets showing the changing kinetic an point. That’s why most roller the amount of potential energy potential energy on a swing where buckets a & c coasters have the biggest hill are the very top and very bottom of each swing an object has depends on how first. much it weighs. Since it is not potential energy changes. moving though, speed gets The sum of potential and replaced by gravity and the kinetic energy is always the Cut foam pipe insulation into 3 object’s height off the ground. same for a particular situation. to 5 foot sections and cut each On Earth, gravity is always 9.8 The only way to change the section lengthwise to form m/s2 or 32 ft/s2 . total amount of energy is to add tracks rather than tunnels. a new force. The force could Cut string or cord into yard long Kinetic and potential energy are come from someone pushing pieces and if desired attach a always in balance, and it is the swing or dragging your feet paperclip or thin jump ring to possible for an object to have in the grass. A push adds more one end so washers can be both types of energy at the kinetic energy but dragging easily added. same time. One of the simplest your feet transfers some of the examples is a playground energy to the ground and the 2 potential energy and kinetic help to have these materials energy are noticed. ready in a Ziploc bag. Ask the students to create a Doing the Activity pendulum by attaching one end Introduction: of the string to one or more washers and taping the other Remind the students that energy end to the table’s edge. is the ability to do work, and work is moving or changing. The students should fill in the worksheet on page 5 Ask the students to provide some examples of things that need energy. (plants, animals, machines etc.) Ask whether things like rocks or playground swings have energy. Explain that although some objects don't use electric, chemical, or solar energy they still have energy and can do work. The above illustration shows potential and kinetic energies in relation to a falling ball. Kinetic energy is highest right before the At A, that point of momentary mo- Explain to the students that if an ball hits the ground. tionlessness just before the down- object is moving, it is said to ward plunge, she has only potential have kinetic energy. Objects energy. As she starts down she de- that are not in motion but could Tell students that this shows the velops kinetic energy. Halfway move have potential energy. law of conservation of energy through the cycle, at B, her energy which states that energy can becomes completely kinetic, then Demonstrate with a ball. Hold never be created or destroyed, it gradually changes back to potential the ball at shoulder height off just changes forms. as the swing rises again the ground. Tell the students that at this point the ball has Activity 1: Swing Ask the students to pull their only potential energy. Drop the Ask the students how we can ball. pendulum back and measure 4 tell that the amount of energy inches away from the Explain that as the ball falls, the doesn’t change. (Ball bounces pendulum’s starting point (where potential energy is gradually back to about the same height; it sits when hanging from the turned into kinetic energy. At the effected by air resistance.) table top). moment the ball hits the floor, it Tell the students that they are has only kinetic energy. As it Have the students let the going to test whether energy is pendulum go and determine bounces, the potential energy is also conserved on the swing recreated. In each group of 3-4 set. A) How many times it swings students, hand out a ball so that back and forth in 10 seconds the students are able to recreate Divide the class into groups of 3 the demonstration. Have them -4 and give each group a string, Ask the students to record their say out loud the points where washers, and a ruler. It may results and repeat their 3 experiment with a different energy? (when marble rolls up a number of washers from hill it loses Ke and slows down, different heights as instructed on but gains Pe because it is worksheet. gaining height). Remind the class that to get the measure Assessment best results scientists try to only the height of each change one variable at a time. piece of tape and record the Ask students to name objects height the marble travels to. that use these concepts Bring the class back together to (bungee jumping, swing set, discuss results. roller coaster, etc...). Ask the class to mark on the Review the terms potential and worksheet where the pendulum kinetic energy. has the most potential energy and the most kinetic energy. (At Ask students why you can’t the very top and very bottom of swing over the bar on the swing the swing.) set and the first hill of a roller coaster is always the biggest. Ask the students if changing the weight or length of the Extensions pendulum made it swing higher? How about faster? Have the students create a Have the students place a bigger roller coaster with Activity 2: Coaster Fun marble in the track so that it rolls multiple hills and a loop. down the hill and measure the Tell the students that there are distance it rolls up the other more exciting ways to use side.