The Effect of Distance on Potential Gravitational Energy POSTLAB

Students dropped a ball from differents heights and recorded the bounce height of the ball. Click on the graph to look at their data.

Describe the relationship between drop height and gravitational potential energy.

• The higher the drop, the less potential energy in the ball

• The higher the drop, the more potential energy in the ball.

• The lower the drop, the more potential energy in the ball.

• Height and potential energy are different, so there is no relationship.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-2

Hypothesize: If the students would have thrown the ball at the floor, instead of dropping it freely, would this have changed the height the ball

reached?

• Yes, because the throw adds energy to the ball.

• No, because it is released from the same height.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Hypothesize: If it had been a 50 lb bouncy ball, would this have changed the height

the ball reached?

• No, because it is dropped from the same height.

• Yes, because gravitational potential energy depends on both height and mass/weight.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

The formula for Gravitational Energy is Height x Weight. Knowing this,which has the GREATEST gravitational potential energy?

• An elephant standing on Mount Everest

• An orange sitting on a four foot bookshelf

• An orange sitting on a six foot bookshelf

• A toothpick sitting on a four foot bookshelf

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-2

The formula for Gravitational Energy is Height x Weight. Knowing this,which has the LEAST gravitational potential energy?

• An elephant standing on Mount Everest

• An orange sitting on a four foot bookshelf

• An orange sitting on a six foot bookshelf

• A toothpick sitting on a four foot bookshelf

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Observe the image. Where is the GPE is the highest,

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-2

Observe the image. Where is the GPE FIRST starting to transform into kinetic energy?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Observe the image. Where does the ball have the most kinetic energy?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

A. Students sit a ball on a platform. ​ (a)   energy is at its maximum and ​ (b)   energy is at its minium. When they tap the ball and it begins to fall, ​ (c)   energy increases and ​ (d)   energy decreases.s

• Potential
• Kinetic

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

When the ball reaches the floor ​ (a)   energy is at its maximum and ​ (b)   energy is at its minimum.

• Kinetic
• Potential

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-5