PhET Activity for MS-PS3-1: Energy Skate Park_Basics

DIRECTIONS:
1. You should see a screen with three options. Click on the 'Intro' option to begin.
2. You are now in the 'Intro' tab with a skater at the bottom of a U-shaped track.
3. Take a moment to look at the control panel on the right side of the screen.
4. Click and drag the skater to the top of the ramp on the left, near the 6-meter mark, and release her.
5. Observe the skater's movement back and forth on the track.
Spend 2-3 minutes exploring the simulation. Try dragging the skater to different heights and observe her motion. Do not change any settings in the control panel yet. Get a feel for how the skater moves on the track.

QUESTION: Are you acquainted with the tools in this simulation?

DIRECTIONS:
1. In the right-side control panel, check the 'Pie Chart' checkbox to see the energy distribution.
2. Next, check the 'Bar Graph' checkbox to view a detailed energy graph on the left.
3. Finally, check the 'Grid' and 'Speed' checkboxes to turn on all measurement tools.
4. Click and drag the skater to the very top of the left ramp, so she is stationary at the 6-meter mark.

QUESTION: When the skater is held motionless at the highest point of the ramp, which statement best describes the energy shown in the Bar Graph?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Ensure all checkboxes (Pie Chart, Bar Graph, Grid, Speed) are still checked.
2. If the skater is not already at the top, drag her to the 6-meter mark on the left ramp and release her.
3. Use the 'Slow Motion' radio button at the bottom of the screen to observe the energy changes more clearly.
4. Watch the Bar Graph as the skater moves through the lowest point of the U-shaped track.

QUESTION: At the lowest point of the track, the skater's Potential Energy is at its ___ and her Kinetic Energy is at its ___.

(a)  

DIRECTIONS:
1. Make sure you are still in the 'Intro' tab with the U-shaped track and all displays on.
2. Release the skater from the 6-meter mark again.
3. Watch the 'Total' energy bar in the Bar Graph as the skater moves back and forth.

QUESTION: In a frictionless system, as the skater moves, potential energy is converted into ___ energy and back again, but the ___ energy of the system remains constant.

(a)  

DIRECTIONS:
1. In the right-side control panel, move the 'Mass' slider to 'Small'.
3. Drag the skater to the 4-meter mark on the ramp and release her.
4. Observe the maximum Kinetic Energy value on the Bar Graph as she passes the bottom.
5. Move the 'Mass' slider so it is exactly in the middle.
6. Observe the maximum Kinetic Energy again.

QUESTION: Based on your observation, what is the relationship between mass and kinetic energy when the speed is the same?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Ensure you are still in the 'Intro' tab with all displays on.
2. Set the 'Mass' slider to 'Large' (maximum).
3. Drag the skater to the 5-meter mark and release. Observe the maximum Kinetic Energy at the bottom.
4. Press the 'Restart Skater' button.
5. Move the 'Mass' slider to the middle position (halving the mass from the previous trial).
6. Drag the skater to the 5-meter mark and release. Observe the maximum Kinetic Energy at the bottom.

QUESTION: When you cut the skater's mass in half, what happens to the kinetic energy?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Set the 'Mass' slider to 'Small'.
3. Drag the skater to the 6-meter mark and release her.
4. Use the Speedometer to observe her maximum speed at the bottom of the ramp. Note this value.
5. Set the 'Mass' slider to 'Large'.
6. Drag the skater to the same 6-meter mark and release her.
7. Observe her maximum speed at the bottom of the ramp.

QUESTION: When releasing the skater from the same height in a frictionless environment, how does changing the mass affect the maximum speed achieved at the bottom of the ramp? Explain why you think this happens.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Set the 'Mass' to any value (e.g., middle). Keep it constant for this slide.
3. Drag the skater to the 1-meter mark and release. Observe the maximum speed and the maximum Kinetic Energy on the Bar Graph.
4. Now drag the skater to the 4-meter mark and release.
5. Observe the maximum speed. You should notice the speed has doubled compared to the 1-meter drop.
6. Carefully observe the maximum Kinetic Energy on the Bar Graph.

QUESTION: When the speed of the object doubles, the kinetic energy...

DIRECTIONS:
1. Keep the mass constant. Drag the skater to the 6-meter mark and release.
3. Observe the maximum kinetic energy at the bottom.
4. Press the 'Restart Skater' button.
5. Now, find a starting height that results in approximately half the maximum speed you saw from the 6m drop. (Hint: It will be 1/4 of the height, so try 1.5 meters).
6. Release the skater from the 1.5-meter mark and observe the maximum kinetic energy.

QUESTION: When the speed of the skater is cut in half, what happens to the kinetic energy?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Make sure you are in the 'Intro' tab with the U-shaped track and all displays on.
2. Drag the skater to the top of the left ramp (Point 1).
3. Release the skater and observe the energy as she passes the bottom (Point 2) and goes up to the top of the right ramp (Point 3).

QUESTION: Arrange the following descriptions of the skater's energy in order, starting from the top of the ramp, then halfway down, then at the bottom.