Move It!

http://www.teachengineering.org/view_lesson.php?url=collection/duk_/lessons/duk_consenergy_rde_less/duk_consenergy_rde_less.xmllessontext/xmlMove It!Duke University, Pratt School of Engineering K-PhD, forcemassvelocitypotential energykinetic energyaccelerationgravityconservation of energyForceVectorMassVelocityEnergyPotential EnergyKinetic EnergyImpactAcceleration

Mechanical energy is the most easily understood form of energy for students. When there is mechanical energy involved, something moves. Mechanical energy is a very important concept to understand. Engineers need to know what happens when something heavy falls from a long distance changing its potential energy into kinetic energy. Automotive engineers need to know what happens when cars crash into each other, and why they can do so much damage, even at low speeds! Our knowledge of mechanical energy is used to help design things like bridges, engines, cars, tools, parachutes, and even buildings! In this lesson, students will learn how the conservation of energy applies to impact situations such as a car crash or a falling object.

This lesson covers one of the fundamental principles of engineering and applied physics, the Law of Conservation of Energy, a key concept in many areas of engineering. During the associated activity, Bombs Away!, students use energy concepts just as engineers do to design a device to cushion impact and protect an egg when dropped. Students should be able to identify the difference between kinetic and potential energy. Students should be able to explain how energy is transferred in an impact situation such as a car crash.1.5TeachEngineering.orgRandall Evans, Dan Choihttp://www.crashtest.comhttp://science.howstuffworks.com/fpte2.htmhttp://auto.howstuffworks.com/crash-test.htmS102854DNorth_CarolinaScience1.10 Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing: • Scientific text.88S1028554North_CarolinaScience2.02 Use information systems to: • Identify scientific needs, human needs, or problems that are subject to technological solution.88S1028546North_CarolinaScience1.08 Use oral and written language to: • Communicate findings.88S1028556North_CarolinaScience2.03 Evaluate technological designs for: • Application of scientific principles.88S10284BANorth_CarolinaScience1.05 Analyze evidence to: • Explain observations.77S10284C9North_CarolinaScience1.10 Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing: • Scientific text.77S10284D0North_CarolinaScience2.02 Use information systems to: • Identify scientific needs, human needs, or problems that are subject to technological solution.77S10284C4North_CarolinaScience1.08 Use oral and written language to: • Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.77S10284D2North_CarolinaScience2.03 Evaluate technological designs for: • Application of scientific principles.77S102851ENorth_CarolinaScience6.01 Demonstrate ways that simple machines can change force.77S1028520North_CarolinaScience6.03 Evaluate motion in terms of Newton's Laws: The force of friction retards motion. 77S1028527North_CarolinaScience6.05 Describe and measure quantities that characterize moving objects and their interactions within a system: • Time.77S102841ENorth_CarolinaScience1.05 Analyze evidence to: • Explain observations.66S102842DNorth_CarolinaScience1.10 Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing: • Scientific text.66S1028435North_CarolinaScience2.02 Use information systems to: • Identify scientific needs, human needs, or problems that are subject to technological solution.66S1028437North_CarolinaScience2.03 Evaluate technological designs for: • Application of scientific principles.66S1028491North_CarolinaScience6.04 Evaluate data for qualitative and quantatitive relationships associated with energy transfer and/or transformation.66S1028499North_CarolinaScience6.07 Analyze the Law of Conservation of Energy: • Conclude that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another.66S100F71ANorth_CarolinaMath5.03 Identify, describe, and analyze situations with constant or varying rates of change.55S1028407North_CarolinaScience4.02 Evaluate how pushing and pulling forces can change the position and motion of an object.55S1028408North_CarolinaScience4.03 Explain how energy is needed to make machines move.• Moving air.55S102840BNorth_CarolinaScience4.05 Determine factors that affect motion including: • Force.55S102840FNorth_CarolinaScience4.06 Build and use a model to solve a mechanical design problem.• Devise a test for the model.55United StatesCopyright 2012 - Duke University, Pratt School of Engineering K-PhD, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke Universityhttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2008-09-266Teacher