Transformation of Energy Unit

Exploring the Flow of Energy through Natural Phenonmena

Speed Challenge

Activity 1 – Speed Challenge

The purpose of this activity is to gain a working understanding of how speed is calculated and how speed changes. At the conclusion of the activity you will be able to do the following:• Calculate the speed any object given two

variables• Determine the relationship between the speed of

an object moving slowly and quickly

Activity 1 – Speed Challenge• Problem: What does the speed of an

object tell us?• Background Information: What do

you already know about speed? How can the speed of an object change?

• Hypothesis: If the speed of an object ______________, then the _______________ ______________ as well.

[increases or decreases]

[increases or decreases][distance or time]

Activity 1 – Speed Challenge• Conclusion: (Write in the same area as

your Observations. Make sure you have recorded your observations!)– Use the data you collected to answer the

question from the Problem section.– PROBLEM: What does the speed of an

object tell us?

Activity 2 – Determining the Speed of a Golf Ball

The purpose of this activity is to transfer your understanding from the Speed Challenge to a different object. At the conclusion of the activity you will be able to do the following:• Use multiple trials to ensure reliable results• Calculate the speed of a golf ball• Determine the relationship between the release

height of a golf ball and its speed

• Problem: How will the speed of the golf ball change as the height of the ramp changes?

• Background Information: Think about any experience you have had going down hills as you consider the Problem question (skateboarding, biking, sledding, etc.).

• Hypothesis: If the height of the ramp ______________, then the golf ball’s speed will ______________ .[increases or decreases]

[increase or decrease]

Activity 2 – …Speed of a Golf Ball

• Materials: A golf ball, 5 wooden blocks, a ruler (the ramp), masking tape, a timer, a meter stick

• Variables: – Manipulated – – Responding –

• Constants:

Height of the rampTime

Distance (100 cm), Golf Ball

Activity 2 – …Speed of a Golf Ball

• Procedure:1.Gather materials.2.Tape the bottom end of the ruler to the floor.3.From the end of the ruler, measure 100 cm

and put down another piece of tape.4.Let the ball roll down the ruler and time how

long it takes to travel the 100 cm distance.5.Record the data and repeat 4 more times.6.Add another block and then repeat steps 4

and 5 until you have used all 5 blocks.

Activity 2 – …Speed of a Golf Ball

• Procedure: (Continued)7. Calculate the average time traveled for each block.

(Trial 1 + Trial 2 + Trial 3 + Trial 4 + Trial 5) ÷ 58. Calculate the average speed by dividing the

distance (100 cm) by each of the average times [100 cm ÷ average time for block 1, etc]

• Conclusion: – Use the data you collected to answer the question

from the Problem section.– PROBLEM: How will the speed of the golf ball

change as the height of the ramp changes?

Vocabulary for your Glossary1. Energy – the ability to do work or cause

change.2. Potential Energy – Energy that is stored,

waiting to be used.3. Kinetic Energy – Energy that an object has

because it is moving, based upon an objects speed and mass.

4. Gravitational Potential Energy – Potential Energy that depends on the height of an object and its mass.

Vocabulary for your Glossary

5. Energy Transfer – The passing of energy from one object to another without changing forms.

6. Energy Transformation – The changing of energy from one form to another.

Activity 3 – Passing Energy Along

The purpose of this activity is to understand how energy can change and move from one object to another. At the conclusion of the activity you will be able to do the following:• Recognize when energy transfers and

transformations occur• Understand how energy transfers and

transformations affect the overall amount of energy present in a situation.

• Determine how mass affects energy.

Activity 3 – Passing Energy Along

• Problem: How is energy transferred and transformed from the golf ball to the cup?

• Background Information: When have you experienced a change in energy?

• Hypothesis: If the golf ball ______________ its energy to the cup, then the golf ball’s energy will ______________ .

[transfers or transforms]

[increase or decrease]

Activity 3 – Passing Energy Along

• Materials: Solid golf ball, Hollow golf ball, 5 wooden blocks, a ruler (the ramp), masking tape, meter stick, half of a cup

• Variables: – Manipulated –

– Responding –

• Constants: Length of ramp, same cup used, measurement point on cup, units used

Height of the ramp (cm) and Mass of the Golf balls (Solid vs. Hollow)Distance the cup travels (cm)

Activity 3 – Passing Energy Along

• Procedure:1.Gather materials and set them up similar to what

you did in Activity 1.2.Use the lines on the floor to line up the end of the

ramp, the lip of the cup and the meter sticks.3.From the end of the ramp, line up two meter

sticks to create a lane for the cup.4.Place the open end of the cup at the bottom of

the ramp.5. Release the golf ball from the top of the ramp

and record the distance the cup travels after impact (from the lip of the cup).

Activity 3 – Passing Energy Along

• Procedure: (Continued)6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all 5 trials are completed and all 5 blocks have been used.7. Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 with the hollow golf ball.8. Find the average of your results.

• Observations (Front page): Make sure you record what you observe during the entire lab!

Activity 3 – Passing Energy Along

AFTER DATA COLLECTION:• Calculate the average distance traveled by

the cup. [Trial 1 + Trial 2…+ Trial 5 = __ ÷ 5]• Observations: Make sure you record what

you observe during the entire lab!• Conclusion:

– Use the data you collected to answer the question from the Problem section.PROBLEM: How is energy transferred and transformed from the golf ball to the cup?

B

A

D and E

C F

G and H

Look at the diagram below and think about the following questions…

1. At what point during our investigation did the ball have the most K.E.?2. At what point during our investigation did the ball have the most G.P.E.?3. What are the four objects to which the ball transfers its K.E.? 4. At what point during our investigation is the ball transforming G.P.E. into K.E.?5. What causes the cup to slow down?6. Are there any other transfers or transformations?

A motorcycle and 18-wheeler are going down the highway at 80 km/h. Which one has more K.E.? Why?

One 8 kg bowling ball is sitting on top of an building, and another 8 kg bowling ball is being held by someone on the ground. Which one has more G.P.E.?

If I wanted to increase the K.E. of an object, what two things could I do?

Increase the mass or increase the speed!

If I wanted to decrease the G.P.E. of an object, what two things could I do?

Decrease the mass or decrease the height!

Key Words for your Quiz:

Activity 4 – Bouncing Golf BallsThe purpose of this activity is to understand how energy transfers from one object to another. At the conclusion of the activity you will be able to do the following:• Identify the energy transfers that took place with

the bouncing ball.• Explain what happens to each form of energy

throughout the activity.• Explain how different surfaces influence the golf

ball’s ability to transfer and transform energy.

• Problem: What happens to the golf ball’s energy when the ball makes contact with a surface?

• Background Information: Why does a bouncing ball eventually stop bouncing (if no one is forcing it to bounce)?

• Hypothesis: If a ball is bouncing on its own, then the height of each bounce will ____________ as it _____________ its energy to the surface it is bouncing on.[increase or decrease] [transforms or transfers]

Activity 4 – Bouncing Golf Balls

• Materials: Solid golf ball, various surfaces, meter stick,

• Variables: – Manipulated – Surfaces the golf ball bounces

on– Responding – # of bounces, and Strength of

Vibrations

• Constants: Mass of golf ball, Height of release, the same 5 surfaces used

Activity 4 – Bouncing Golf Balls

Activity 4 – Bouncing Golf BallsAFTER DATA COLLECTION:• Calculations: Calculate the average number

of bounces for each surface.• Observations: Make sure you record what

you observe during the entire lab!• Conclusion:

– Use the data you collected to answer the question from the Problem section.

– PROBLEM: What happens to the golf ball’s energy when the ball makes contact with a surface?

Key Words For Your Quiz

Activity 5 – The Energy of Pendulums

The purpose of this activity is to understand the role particles play in how energy transfers. At the conclusion of the activity you will be able to do the following:• Describe how the energy of a pendulum changes

during each swing. • Identify the different forms of energy of a pendulum and

how each form changes in size during the swing of the pendulum

• Use the Particle Model and the concept of energy transfer to explain where the energy of the swinging pendulum eventually goes.

Activity 5 – The Energy of Pendulums

• Problem: How does a pendulum prove that energy can be transformed as well as transferred to other objects?

• Background Information: Why do freely swinging objects eventually stop swinging? Why do you think this occurs?

• Hypothesis: If a pendulum (or any freely swinging mass) is released from any height, then its energy will ____________ as it _____________ to other objects.

(increase or decrease)

(transfers or transforms)

• Materials: 2-2 Liter Soda bottles (1 filled with water, 1 empty), string, hook, timer

• Variables: – Manipulated – Mass of Pendulum– Responding – Average # of swings in 10 sec.

• Constants: Height of release, 2-Liter Soda Bottle, Time Limit

Activity 5 – The Energy of Pendulums

AFTER LAB DISCUSSION:• Observations: Make sure you record

what you observe during the entire lab!• Conclusion:

– Use the data you collected to answer the question from the Problem section.

– PROBLEM: What happens to the golf ball’s energy when the ball makes contact with a surface?

B

A E

D

C1. At what point(s) during its swing does the pendulum have the most G.P.E.?

2. At what point(s) during its swing does the pendulum have the most K.E.?

3. Where is there a K.E. to G.P.E. transformation taking place?

4. Where is there a G.P.E. to K.E. transformation taking place?

5. Are there any energy transfers taking place?

Vocabulary for your Glossary

7. Law of the Conservation of Energy – The law that states energy cannot be created or destroyed.

8. Energy Chain – a diagram that shows how energy is transformed and transferred during an action or series of actions.

Activity 6 – Where’s the Energy Going?

The purpose of this activity is to use the concepts of energy transformation and energy transfer to trace the role of energy flow in any physical process (make an energy chain). At the conclusion of the activity you will be able to do the following:• Identify different forms of energy, energy transfers and

transformations in everyday phenomena. • Construct an energy chain that describes the energy flow

in everyday phenomena. • Use the Particle Model and the concept of energy

transfer to describe how air particles interfere with the motion of objects.

Energy of a Skateboarder• We are going to look at the Energy of a

Skateboarder more in depth. • Follow these next set of instructions:

– http://phet.colorado.edu– How to Run Simulations– One at a Time– Energy Skate Park: BASICS

A Simple Energy Chain Shows:

1. The OBJECTS involved2. ARROWS showing how energy flows3. The TYPE OF ENERGY each object

represents4. Where the energy is TRANSFERRED or

TRANSFORMED

Things to remember about Energy Chains

1. Energy chains always start with the sun!2. Arrows are used to show where the energy

is going and where the energy transformations and energy transfers take place (energy transformations/transfers need to be written in).

3. Energy never “disappears” or is “lost” – it transforms into heat energy for the particles of the object that is last in the chain.

Energy Chain Project:

Step 1: Choose a scene from a children’s story

Step 2: Draw a picture of the scene on a piece of loose leaf as a ROUGH DRAFT

Step 3: Label your picture with energy transfers and transformations (there must be 10). Double check for accuracy and add some detail!

Step 4: Create your final draft.***Use the key below and the rubric to help guide you***

KE = Kinetic EnergyGPE = Gravitational Potential EnergyTE = Thermal EnergySE = Sound EnergyCPE = Chemical Potential EnergyRE = Radiant EnergyXFers = Energy TransferXForms = Energy Transformation

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