science skills station

© Stephanie Elkowitz7Kinetic Energy Graphing SNAPs Lab

Science Skills Station

Objective 1. Graph data to study the relationships between kinetic energy, velocity and mass.2. Analyze and interpret graphical displays to describe how kinetic energy of an object

changes when its velocity or mass increases.

Skills Utilized

OverviewKinetic energy is energy of motion. All objects in motion have kinetic energy. The kinetic energy of an object depends on its velocity and mass. At this station, you will study the relationship between kinetic energy and velocity as well as kinetic energy and mass of an object. Complete the activities in the recording packet. Then answer the questions.

Activity #1A student performs an investigation to determine the kinetic energy of a 1.5 kg toy car as it travels across a flat surface at different speeds. The student uses the same vehicle for each trial. She jots down the following measurements for her investigation:Trial 1: When the car travels 2 m/s, its kinetic energy is 3 JTrial 2: When the car travels 4 m/s, its kinetic energy is 12 JTrial 3: When the car travels 6 m/s, its kinetic energy is 27 JTrial 4: When the car travels 8 m/s, its kinetic energy is 48 JTrial 5: When the car travels 10 m/s, its kinetic energy is 75 JTrial 5: When the car travels 12 m/s, its kinetic energy is 108 J

Directions:1. Create a table to organize the data. Organize the data in rows and columns.2. Graph the data. Use the grid in your answer sheet. 3. Answer the summary questions.

Summary Questions:1. According to the graph, what is the relationship between kinetic energy and

velocity?2. Identify the independent, dependent and controlled variables in the investigation.3. Use the graph to predict the car’s kinetic energy if it was traveling 5 m/s. 4. How could the student improve her investigation?

• Infer and/or predict• Identify variables• Determine relationships

• Organize data in a table• Analyze & interpret data

• Graph data• Make calculations


Science Skills Station cont. Activity #2A student conducts an investigation to determine how mass impacts the kinetic energy of an object. He obtains a 2 kg toy car with a “storage” area to add weight. He rolls the car without weights at 2 m/s across of a flat surface and determines its kinetic energy to be 4 Joules. He repeats this test but with different amounts of mass in the car:Trial 2: He adds 4 kg to the car and determines the kinetic energy to be 12 JTrial 3: He adds 8 kg to the car and determines the kinetic energy to be 20 JTrial 4: He adds 12 kg to the car and determines the kinetic energy to be 28 JTrial 5: He adds 16 kg to the car and determines the kinetic energy to be 36 J

Directions:1. Determine the total mass of car and weights for each trial. 2. Create a table to organize the data. Organize the data in rows and columns.3. Graph the data. Use the grid in your answer sheet. 4. Answer the summary questions.

Questions:1. According to the graph, what is the relationship between kinetic energy and mass?2. How does the relationship between kinetic energy and mass compare to the

relationship between kinetic energy and velocity?3. What was the independent and dependent variable in this investigation?4. Why was it important that the student rolled the car 2 m/s for all trials?


Narrative Station

Objective 1. Describe kinetic energy and its importance to the study of mechanical energy. 2. Discuss the relationship between kinetic energy, velocity and mass.

Skills Utilized

Activity #1Directions: Read the following informational text. Then answer the questions.

KINETIC ENERGY

Classical mechanics is a sub-field of physics that involves the study of mechanical energy and the motion and position of objects. Classical mechanics recognizes two types of mechanical energy: kinetic energy and potential energy.

Kinetic energy is energy of motion. All objects in motion have kinetic energy and can perform work. Kinetic energy depends on the velocity and mass of an object. The faster an object moves, the greater its kinetic energy. Specifically, the kinetic energy of an object exponentially increases as its velocity increases. In other words, a 2-fold increase in an object’s velocity results in a 4-fold increase in kinetic energy. The more massive the moving object, the more kinetic energy the object has. Specifically, the kinetic energy of an object linearly increases as its mass increases.

Potential energy is stored energy. It depends on the location or position of an object. The most commonly studied type of potential energy is gravitational potential energy. An object raised about Earth’s surface has gravitational potential energy because of Earth’s gravity. An object’s gravitational potential energy depends on its mass and height above Earth. Gravitational potential energy of an object linearly increases as the object’s mass or height increases. An objects linear velocity does not influence its gravitational potential energy.

Questions:1. What is kinetic energy?2. How does an object’s kinetic energy change as its velocity or mass increases?3. Compare and contrast kinetic and gravitational potential energy.

• Answer questions relating to a text• Cite textual information• Determine meaning of key terms

• Summarize information• Make connections


Narrative Station cont. Activity #2Directions: Use a computer or tablet to watch a 6 ½ minute video about kinetic energy: http://bit.ly/2wkb1Wq. Answer the questions using information in the video.

Questions:1. What does “an object in motion has the ability to do work” mean?2. What is the equation for kinetic energy?3. What is the unit for energy?4. How is kinetic energy related to mass?5. How does calculating the kinetic energy of an object at different velocities help

understand the relationship between kinetic energy and velocity? 6. How does the relationship between kinetic energy and velocity have practical

applications to cars, speeding and braking?


Assessment Station

Objective Recall concepts, terms and ideas relating to kinetic energy.

Skills Utilized• Define key terms• Explain a concept• Determine relationship• Compare and contrast• Make calculations• Identify variables• Interpret or analyze data• Design an experiment

Assessment Direction1. Answer the following questions. Write down your answers on the recording sheet.2. There are two bonus questions. If time allows, try to answer these questions.

Question #1

What is kinetic energy? How is kinetic energy important to the

study of mechanical energy?

Question #2

How is kinetic energy different from potential energy?

Question #3

According to the graph, what is the relationship between an object’s

mass and its kinetic energy?

Question #4

According to the graph, what is the relationship between an object’s velocity and its kinetic energy?

Kine

tic E

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Kine

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Velocity

Question #5

Use the equation KE = ½mv2 to determine which object has more

kinetic energy: a 5 kg object moving 10 m/s or a 10 kg object

moving 5 m/s.

Question #6

Design an experiment to determine how changing the velocity or mass

of an object impacts its kinetic energy. Explain the measurements

you’ll make and discuss the number of experimental groups

you’ll include and trials you’ll perform. Also identify the

independent, dependent and controlled variables.

BONUS Question #7

A little league has decided to use whiffle balls instead of baseballs with the youngest players. The

league determined that it would be safer for kids to play with whiffle

balls and it would also be easier for the kids to learn to catch hit balls

during a game.

Why would the league make this decision? Explain your answer in

terms of kinetic energy.

BONUS Question #8

The speed limit near schools is most often restricted to 20 miles per hour. Why is it important to have such a slow speed limit in

these regions? Explain your answer in terms of kinetic energy.

Problem Solving Station

Objective Use models to study the relationship between kinetic energy, velocity and mass.

Skills Utilized• Evaluate possible solutions• Compare multiple solutions

Background InformationKinetic energy is energy of motion. All objects in motion have kinetic energy. The kinetic energy of an object depends on its velocity and mass. At this station, you will use a computer model and math equation to study the relationship between mass, velocity and kinetic energy. Follow the directions. Record all data on your recording sheet.

Directions1. Use a computer to access the website: http://bit.ly/2KFUnU6. 2. Click “Student Lab” under Activity 1: The Energy of Moving Matter.3. Click “Continue” on the next two pages.4. Scroll down the page using the grey sidebar. Then click “On to the Lab!”5. Read the instructions on how to use the simulator. Then click on the light blue box.6. Conduct 6 trials with the simulation. For each trial, choose a different object and/or

speed. Drag the object into the catapult. Then slide the bar of the speed selector to the desired speed. Press the red button to launch the object. Record the mass, speed (velocity) and energy of the object in the table on your recording sheet.• To make calculations easier, limit the speed to 1 x 103 m/s (1,000 m/s) or less.

7. Use the equation KE = ½mv2 to confirm the energy of each combination of mass and speed (velocity). Recall: KE is kinetic energy, m is mass and v is velocity (speed).

8. Leave the simulator open while answering the summary questions. When finished with the questions, click “Clear Page” under the table on the website.

Summary Questions:1. Compare the use of a computer model and mathematical equation for determining

the energy of an object with a specified mass and velocity. 2. Does using a computer model help you better study the energy of an object with a

specific mass and velocity? Is it easier to use a computer model or math equation to determine the energy of an object?

3. What combination of object and speed would have the least energy? 4. What combination of object and speed would have the greatest energy?


Name: ______________________________ Date: _______________Group Members: _________________________________________________________

Kinetic Energy Graphing Lab Recording Sheet

Directions: Record all observations and answers to questions on this sheet.

Science Skills StationActivity #1Create a table.

Graph the data.


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Kinetic Energy Graphing Lab Recording SheetScience Skills StationActivity #1 Questions1. ___________________________________________________________________

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Activity #2Create a table.



Kinetic Energy Graphing Lab Recording SheetScience Skills StationActivity #2Graph the data.

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Kinetic Energy Graphing Lab Recording SheetNarrative StationActivity #11. ___________________________________________________________________

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Kinetic Energy Graphing Lab Recording SheetAssessment Station1. ___________________________________________________________________

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BONUS QUESTIONS7. ___________________________________________________________________

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Kinetic Energy Graphing Lab Recording SheetProblem-Solving Station

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Trial Mass Velocity Energy Calculate EnergyKE = ½mv2

science skills station

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