Kinetic Energy and Skater

Learning Goals: • Predict the kinetic and potential energy of objects. • Examine how kinetic and potential energy interact with each other.

In the space provided, define the following words:
Kinetic energy-is the energy of motion. An object that has motion - whether it is vertical or horizontal motion

Potential energy-is the energy of an object or a system due to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system

Open Internet Explorer. From the FMS Jump Page. Click the Potential and Kinetic Energy Skate Park link. Or type in http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-skate-park

Observations of KE and PE
Start your skater at the top of the track. Draw or write what happens to the skater.

|Position of Skater |Result |Possible reasons why it happened. |
|[pic] |The Skater keeps going back and fourth. |It never stops because it keeps getting KE |
| | |& PE. |

Click on [pic] and run your skater through the track again. Use this tool to help you label the spots on the ramp where there is the greatest KE and PE. Label your results below:
[pic]

Watch what happens to the PE as the skater is higher on the track.
What is the relationship between the PE and the height of the skater on the track?
The PE gets greater when the skater gets higher up on the track.

Watch what happens to the KE as the skater moves faster and slower on the track. He is slowest at the top of the track just before he reverses direction and fastest at the bottom of the bend.
What is the relationship between the KE and the speed of the skater on the track?

Watching the bar graph…what general statement can you make about the relationship between KE and PE?

Effect of Starting Height