John Travoltage PHET Lab

Based on your prior knowledge of potential energy, what is electrical potential energy?

• electrical energy that is being used

• electrical energy that is being stored

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS3-2

Electrons are negatively charged particles. These particles are one of the building blocks of an atom. The movement of electrons results in electricity that we use daily.

Would moving electrons be potential or kinetic electrical energy?

• Potential electrical energy because the electrons are moving

• Kinetic electrical energy because the electrons are moving

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Using the PHET simulation, move John's hand to his nose and then rub his foot back and forth on the carpet for

5 seconds.

What do you observe?

• I observe negative electrons moving into his body

• I observe positive electrons moving into his body

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

What do you think is the electrical charge on his body now?

• I think his body has a positive electrical charge

• I think his body has a negative electrical charge

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-3

Reset the simulation. Now put John's hand near the doorknob and then move his foot back and forth on the carpet. What do you observe happening to the flow of electrons now?

• I observe the electrons flowing into his body and stopping.

• I observe the electrons flowing through his body and then into the doorknob.

Reset the simulation. Put John's hand back near his nose and rub his foot on the carpet until his body is STUFFED with electrons.

Now slowly move his hand to the doorknob and observe.

• Very Cool! The electrons flowed from his body into the doorknob!

• Very Cool! The electrons flowed from the doorknob into his body.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

If negatively charged (-) and positively charged (+) atoms attract, then what can you say about the charge of the metal doorknob?

• The electrical charge of the doorknob must be positive in order to attract the negatively charged electrons.

• The electrical charge of the doorknob must be negative in order to attract the positively charged electrons.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-3

Potential or Kinetic electrical energy?

Moving John's foot back and forth

• Potential

• Kinetic

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Potential or Kinetic electrical energy?

Electrons moving into John's body

• Potential

• Kinetic

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-3

NGSS.MS-PS3-2

Potential or Kinetic electrical energy?

The electrons stored in John's body

• Potential

• Kinetic

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-2