Activity: Energy Skate Lab (PHET)
PhET Simulator: Name: ________________________
Energy Skate Park! Date:
____________ Period: ______
1) Type in the web
address: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/energy-skate-park
and click the “Play” button.
2) Choose which skater
you’d like to use (third option down on right) then “x” out of option window.
3) Click on “Bar Graph”. Watch as the skater moves
across the track and how it changes the levels of Potential and Kinetic Energy. (You can slow or pause the
skater down at the bottom of the simulator window to help you observe).
a) When
is the gravitational potential energy
the highest? _______________ The lowest? ________________
b) When
is the kinetic energy the
highest? ________________ The lowest? ________________
c) When
are the kinetic and gravitational potential energy levels the same?
____________________________
d) Can
you think of a scenario when the kinetic and gravitational potential energy
could both be zero? Describe
or draw how this could be
possible below:
4) Notice the 3 blue
circles, one at each end of the track and one in the middle. Click on one
circle and hold down. Move the circle to change the track’s shape to however
you’d like and observe how the track responds. When you feel comfortable
manipulating the track, click “Reset”
and Select “Yes”.
5) Move the circles to
make the right side of the
track LONGER than the left side of the track. Click on
“bar graph”.
a) Bring the skater up
to various heights on the left
side of the track (at the top, half way up, etc.) and then observe what happens
when you let them go. Do this until you can predict to what height the skater
will reach on the right side of the track. Pick a height of release and sketch
the path the skater will take when you release them:
b) Use the Law of Conservation of Energy to
explain how you can predict the height that the skater will reach on the right
side depending on where you release them on the left side:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
6) Now make the right side of the track SHORTER than the left side of the track. What do you think will happen if you
release the skater from the top of the left side of the track? Use the
relationship between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy to explain
your thinking and then test to see if your prediction was correct:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
7) Notice the yellow
window labeled “Tracks” in the top
left corner. This feature allows you to build your own track in the simulator
window. All you have to do is select and drag the new piece of track to the
existing track and line up the blue circles for where you want them to join.
Then, you can manipulate the track to create hills, loops, drops, etc! Practice
getting familiar with creating new shapes and when you’re ready, click “Reset” and select “Yes”.
8) Now you are going to
create your own skatepark! Your mission is to create a track complete with
hills, drops and multiple loops that your skater can complete from start to
finish without getting stuck OR flying off! Carefully consider the relationship
between potential and kinetic energy and then sketch your plan below!
9) Once your sketch is
complete, test to see if your skater is able to successfully complete the track
from start to finish!
a) Was your skater
successful on your first attempt? ______________________
b) If no, indicate on
your sketch where your skater became stuck or flew off. Then, edit your plan
and try again! Indicate any updates you make using a different color or dotted
line- create a key so we can clearly see any changes you’ve made!
10) On your sketch above, clearly label the points
of greatest PE and KE and least PE and KE.
***Use the options on the right to see if your track can work in outer space!
On the Moon? On Jupiter?***
After lab simulation activity; QUIZLET PRACTICE:
Period 5: Quizlet invite link:
Period 6: QUIZLET invite link: https://quizlet.com/join/S6vY9MBku
Period 7: QUIZLET invite link: https://quizlet.com/join/EAFwSFFmK
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