Graphing Energy at the Skate Park



Title Graphing Energy at the Skate Park
Description **IMPORTANT NOTE: If the program's energy graphs are choppy, do the following: RECORD several cycles PLAYBACK SLOW This should smooth out the graphs! Good luck! Learning Goal: The purpose of the energy skate park simulation is to see how energy gets transferred in a real world application. You will draw graphs to represent how energy changes. In this simulation you will manipulate the skater and friction to see the affect of these on a skater who behaves according to the laws of physics. The students begin without the sim making predictions on what the graphs look like for potential, kinetic, thermal, and total energy (with and without friction) of a skater rolling back and forth on a half-pipe. They then use the sim to check their predictions.
Subject Physics
Level High School
Type Lab
Duration 60 minutes
Answers Included No
Language English
Keywords energy
Simulation(s) Energy Skate Park

Author(s) Jessica Mullins
Contact Email jmullins@jeffco.k12.co.us
School / Organization Conifer High School
Date submitted 3/23/07
Date updated 9/18/07