PhET Activity for MS-PS3-5: Energy Skate Park_Basics

DIRECTIONS:
1. You should be on the initial screen. Click on the 'Intro' option to begin.
2. In the control panel on the right, check the box for 'Bar Graph'.
3. In the control panel on the right, check the box for 'Grid'.
4. Click and drag the skater and place them on the U-shaped track at different heights.
5. Release the skater and observe how the bars in the Bar Graph change as they move.
Take 2-3 minutes to freely explore the simulation. Drag the skater to different starting points on the track and observe their motion. Pay attention to the Bar Graph. What do you notice? You do not need to answer any questions on this slide.

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

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pause the motion of the skater.
2. Ensure the 'Bar Graph' and 'Grid' checkboxes on the right are still checked.
3. Click and drag the skater straight up along the grid to the 6-meter line, but DO NOT release them. Hold them stationary in the air.

QUESTION: When the skater is held stationary at the highest point (6 meters), which statement best describes the energy?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the skater at the very top of the U-shaped ramp, at the 6-meter line, and release them.
2. Observe the Bar Graph as the skater moves. Use the 'Pause' button at the bottom of the screen to stop the skater at the very lowest point of the track.

QUESTION: At the lowest point of the track, the skater's height is minimal, so their ___ energy is at its minimum. At the same time, their speed is at its maximum, so their ___ energy is at its maximum.

(a)  

DIRECTIONS:
1. Ensure the skater is paused at the bottom of the track from the previous step.
2. In the right-side panel, check the box for 'Speed'. A speedometer should appear.
3. Press the 'Play' button and observe the skater's motion, paying close attention to the 'Total' energy bar in the graph.

QUESTION: In this frictionless environment, the total mechanical energy of the skater (a)   .

DIRECTIONS:
1. Let the skater continue to move on the track.
2. Locate the 'Mass' slider in the right-side panel.
3. While the skater is moving, slide the 'Mass' slider from its current position to 'Large'.

QUESTION: When you increase the skater's mass while they are in motion, what happens to the total energy of the system?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pause the skater. Then, set the 'Mass' slider to 'Small'.
2. Place the skater at the 6-meter mark on the ramp and release. Observe the maximum height reached on the other side.
3. Set the 'Mass' slider to 'Large'.

QUESTION: Does changing the skater's mass affect the maximum height they reach on the opposite side of the ramp? Explain your observation using the concept of energy conservation.

DIRECTIONS:
1. In the track selection panel on the right, click the thumbnail for the W-shaped ramp (the third option).
2. Place the skater on the top left of the ramp at the 5-meter mark and release them.

QUESTION: When released from 5 meters, the skater goes over the hump and continues up the other side of the ramp. At the peak of the hump, what can you say about the skater's energy?

DIRECTIONS:
1. At the bottom of the screen, click on the 'Friction' tab. The simulation will reset.
2. In the right-side panel, check the boxes for 'Bar Graph', 'Grid', and 'Speed'.
3. The U-shaped track should be selected by default.

QUESTION: When friction is introduced, a new form of energy, called ___ energy, appears. This represents the transfer of mechanical energy into ___.

(a)  

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the skater at the top of the ramp (6-meter mark) and release them.
2. Let the skater move back and forth until they come to a complete stop.

QUESTION: As the skater moves back and forth with friction and eventually stops, what happens to the total energy in the system?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Move the 'Friction' slider all the way to the right ('Lots').
2. Place the skater at the 6-meter mark and release them.

3. Click the 'Restart Skater' button. This will reset the skater's motion and the thermal energy.

QUESTION: Increasing the amount of friction causes the skater's mechanical energy to be transferred to thermal energy (a)   .