Potential and Kinetic Energy

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Vers. 08/2020

Potential and
Kinetic Energy

7th Grade Science

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Essential Idea:

Reflect on the Essential
Questions before you dive in…

1. If you were quizzed today,
what do you know already about
the question?

2. What do you need to learn
more about to answer this
question confidently?

Compare and contrast
potential and kinetic
energy.

Think About It

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Look at the images. How is energy involved in each scenario?

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Energy

• The ability to do work
• The ability to move or

cause change in matter

• Two types of mechanical

energy
•Potential - stored
•Kinetic - moving

What are the
two types of
mechanical

energy?

Multiple Choice

Name two types of mechanical energy.

• Potential and Thermal

• Potential and Kinetic

• Kinetic and Thermal

• Potential and Light

Multiple Choice

Stored energy is also known as...

• Kinetic energy

• Thermal energy

• Potential energy

• This is a trick question

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Potential Energy

• Stored energy in an

object due to position

• Ready to be used, but not

being used

• Can be transformed into

other types of energy

• SI unit Joule (J)
• Determined by its

height and mass

• Found in all objects

What is the unit of
potential energy?

What two things

determine the

potential energy of

an object?

Multiple Choice

What unit is energy measured in?

• milligrams (mg)

• amps

• Joule (J)

• watt

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Potential and Kinetic Energy
Potential Energy

Determine how each

example shows

potential energy?

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Potential Energy

• The amount of potential

energy is determined by
its height and mass.

• The higher an object, the

greater its potential
energy

A

B

Which ball has
the greatest

potential
energy?

Multiple Choice

Which ball has the greatest potential energy?

• B

• A

• They have the same PE.

• This is a trick question.

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Potential Energy

The greater the mass the
greater the potential energy.
A
B

Which ball has the
greatest potential

energy?

Multiple Select

What two things do potential energy depend on?

• height

• speed

• mass

• temperature

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Potential and Kinetic Energy
Potential Energy
(Gravitational)

• The energy stored in

materials as the result of
their height.

• The amount of energy

stored is related to the
amount of work against
gravity.

• The higher the object,

the more stored energy

Which skier has the
greatest gravitational

potential energy?

Multiple Choice

Which skier has the greatest gravitational potential energy?

• yellow

• blue

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Potential and Kinetic Energy
Potential Energy
(Elastic)

• The energy stored in

elastic materials as the
result of their stretching or
compressing.

• The amount of energy

stored is related to the
amount of stretch applied.

• The more stretch, the

more stored energy

Which bow has the

greatest elastic

potential energy?

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Potential and Kinetic Energy
Potential Energy
(Chemical)
• The energy stored

in chemical bonds
of a substance.

Multiple Select

Which of the following is/are types of potential energy?

• chemical

• gravitational

• elastic

• kinetic

Think About It

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Look at the list of scenarios. Decide which situations would decrease amount of
gravitational potential energy an object has.

Increase the mass of the object

Move the object closer to the ground

Increase the distance from the object to the ground

Move the object to a place with less gravitational pull

Decrease the mass of the object

Think About It

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1.

Which object would have

the most potential energy in

the scenario?

2.

How do you know?

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Kinetic Energy
• The energy of motion
• Formed or caused by

motion

• Can be transformed into

other types of energy

• SI unit Joule (J)
• Determined by

speed/velocity and
mass

• Found in all objects

What is the unit of kinetic

energy?

What do you notice about
the units of potential and

kinetic energy?

What determines the
kinetic energy of an

object?

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Kinetic Energy

• The energy of motion

How is kinetic energy
being shown in each

scenario?

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Kinetic Energy

• The amount of kinetic

energy is determined by its
speed/velocity and its
mass.

• The faster an object moves

the greater its kinetic
energy.

H = 10m

H = 20m

A

B

Which ball has the

greatest speed assuming they were dropped from the same height initially?

Multiple Select

Kinetic energy depends on what two variables?

• speed

• velocity

• mass

• height

Think About It

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If a roller coaster car needs more Kinetic Energy (KE)
to reach the top of the track, what are two ways to
increase the amount of Kinetic Energy the car has?
Provide evidence to support your answer.

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Transformation of Energy

• Bouncing Ball

• Several energy transformations happen

when a ball is dropped on a surface and
bounces up again.

PE - maximum
KE - none

PE – none
KE - maximum

PE - decreasing
KE - increasing

PE – maximum
KE - none

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Energy Transformation = process of

changing one form of energy into another

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Potential and Kinetic Energy
Several energy
transformations take
place as the pendulum
bob swings.

A

B

C

Pendulum positions

PE maximum; KE minimum

KE maximum; PE minimum

PE maximum; KE minimum

Transformation of Energy

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

In each picture:

Where is the Greatest Potential Energy (GPE)?

How do you know?

Where is the Greatest Kinetic Energy (GKE)?

How do you know?

Transformation of Energy

Multiple Choice

On a roller coaster, which of the following positions has the greatest potential energy?

• top

• bottom

• halfway up the ramp

• halfway down the ramp

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Transformation of energy - Roller coaster

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

PE = 100%
KE = 100%
PE = 75% KE = 25%
KE = 75% PE = 25%

Transformation of energy - Roller coaster

Multiple Choice

The total of the KE and PE so far has always been what percent?

• 75

• 25

• 100

• 50

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Energy is continuously being transformed
from one form to another… It never “goes

away.”

This leads us to an important idea in

science known as the “Law of

Conservation of Energy”

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

Law of Conservation of Energy = energy
cannot be created or destroyed, it only

changes forms

Think About It

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You and a friend get to spend a fun summer day at the
local waterpark. Your friend challenges you to ride the
fastest slide in the park. Which slide shown in the photo
would be the fastest slide (straight or curved)? How do
you know?

Give your best answer to...

1.

Compare and contrast potential and kinetic energy

Check for

Understanding