Kinetic and Potential Energy of Motion
In this lesson, students are introduced to both potential energy and kinetic energy as forms of mechanical energy. A hands-on activity demonstrates how potential energy can change into kinetic energy by swinging a pendulum, illustrating the concept of conservation of energy. Students calculate the potential energy of the pendulum and predict how fast it will travel knowing that the potential energy will convert into kinetic energy. They verify their predictions by measuring the speed of the pendulum.
A roller coaster exhibits both kinetic and potential energyCopyright Microsoft Corporation 1983-2001.
Mechanical engineers are concerned about the mechanics of energy — how it is generated, stored and moved. Product design engineers apply the principles of potential and kinetic energy when they design consumer products. For example, a pencil sharpener employs mechanical energy and electrical energy. When designing a roller coaster, mechanical and civil engineers ensure that there is sufficient potential energy (which is converted to kinetic energy) to move the cars through the entire roller coaster ride.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Recognize that engineers need to understand the many different forms of energy in order to design useful products.
- Explain the concepts of kinetic and potential energy.
- Understand that energy can change from one form into another.
- Understand that energy can be described by equations.