Energy Skate Park
Screen shot from the PHET Energy Skate Park simulation.
Students experiment with an online virtual laboratory set at a skate park. They make predictions of graphs before they use the simulation to create graphs of energy vs. time under different conditions. This simulation experimentation strengths their comprehension of conservation of energy solely between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy
During this activity, student predict behavior before they discover the real behavior of the man in a virtual skate park. This application gives them context for learning about potential and kinetic energy. Predicting the behavior of something based on prior knowledge is an important skill for engineers. When engineers are designing, they make predictions about how structures, devices and processes will function before they build them. This activity helps students develop this very important skill.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Apply their background knowledge to begin solving the challenge.
- Relate kinetic energy with gravitational potential energy and heat energy.
- CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-ID.B Summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables
Grades 9-12
Do you agree with this alignment? - CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-ID.B.6 Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how the variables are related.
Grades 9-12
Do you agree with this alignment?
- Energy cannot be created nor destroyed; however, it can be converted from one form to another.
Grades 9-12
Do you agree with this alignment? - Energy can be grouped into major forms: thermal, radiant, electrical, mechanical, chemical, nuclear, and others.
Grades 9-12
Do you agree with this alignment?
- Physical Science
Grades K-12
Do you agree with this alignment?
- HS-PS3-2 Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as either motions of particles or energy stored in fields.
Grades 9-12
This resource focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:
Science & Engineering Practices- Develop and use a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or between components of a system.Do you agree with this alignment?
Disciplinary Core Ideas- Energy is a quantitative property of a system that depends on the motion and interactions of matter and radiation within that system. That there is a single quantity called energy is due to the fact that a system's total energy is conserved, even as, within the system, energy is continually transferred from one object to another and between its various possible forms.Do you agree with this alignment?
- At the macroscopic scale, energy manifests itself in multiple ways, such as in motion, sound, light, and thermal energy.Do you agree with this alignment?
- These relationships are better understood at the microscopic scale, at which all of the different manifestations of energy can be modeled as a combination of energy associated with the motion of particles and energy associated with the configuration (relative position of the particles). In some cases the relative position energy can be thought of as stored in fields (which mediate interactions between particles). This last concept includes radiation, a phenomenon in which energy stored in fields moves across space.Do you agree with this alignment?
Crosscutting Concepts- Energy cannot be created or destroyed—it only moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or between systems.Do you agree with this alignment?
Do you agree with this alignment? - Develop and use a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or between components of a system.
- CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-ID.B Summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables
Grades 9-12
Do you agree with this alignment? - CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-ID.B.6 Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how the variables are related.
Grades 9-12
Do you agree with this alignment?
- 3204.2.1 Differentiate among the various forms of energy.
Grades 9-12
Do you agree with this alignment? - CLE 3202.2.6 Investigate the Law of Conservation of Energy.
Grades 9-12
Do you agree with this alignment?
Each student needs:
- Energy Skate Park Worksheet (PDF)
- computer with Internet access, Java installed and ability to run the simulation at http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-skate-park.
- graph paper
- colored pencils
Students must have a basic working knowledge of computer simulations.
In today's activity, we first consider our previous knowledge on the subject, which can be applied to solving the challenge. Then, we determine exactly what we need to learn in order to learn about how energy can be transferred. You will be getting a worksheet, on which you first record your own thoughts in the form of a line graph. Afterwards, we will organize into lab groups and work on the virtual lab using an online simulation.
So let's jump start our initial expectations (get the initial screen shot on the screen in front of the class, and draw an energy-time graph on the board). Draw a graph of what you expect potential energy to be doing over three cycles. In another color, draw what you expect kinetic energy to be doing over the same time period. So far this is in the absence of friction. Now lets draw another plot for what we expect to happen with friction present. Where does heat come into play?
Background
This activity introduces students to the concept of conservation of energy and the relationship of friction to this interaction.
Before the Activity
Make copies of the Energy Skate Park Worksheet (PDF). one per student.
Test student computers to make sure they are able to run the simulation at http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-skate-park.
With the Students
- Describe the prediction portions of the worksheet with students.
- Divide the class into small lab groups and have students share their thoughts with each other.
- Have students perform the simulation for the following situations: A) frictionless on Earth, B) with friction on Earth, C) on Jupiter with and without friction, D) in space without friction.
- Give students time to experiment with the simulation.
- Conclude with a class discussion so students can share and compare their results and conclusions. Ask the Investigating Questions.
Assess student comprehension from their group discussion contributions and completeness and accurcy of their worksheet answers.
- For lower grades, provide more time for group discussions.
- For upper grades, ask students to relate a mathematical relationship between kinetic energy and gravitation kinetic energy, with and without friction.
Energy Skate Park Simulation. PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder. Accessed April 3, 2009. Source of computer simulation required to perform the lab. http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-skate-park
Contributors
Joel Daniel (Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power, University of Minnesota); Megan Johnston
Supporting Program
VU Bioengineering RET Program, School of Engineering, Vanderbilt University
Acknowledgements
The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under National Science Foundation RET grant nos. 0338092 and 0742871. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the NSF, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Copyright
2013 by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © 2006 Vanderbilt University