Samuel Kaloko - Potential Energy Kinetic Energy and Energy Transformations.pdf

Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy, and Energy
Transformations
Objective: Students will complete a launch/skills lab to compare
and contrast kinetic energy and potential energy.
Engagement
:
Complete the PROBE below. Besure to explain your thinking using
accountable talk that includes either experiences from class investigations
or personal experience.
Write your answers below.

Exploration
What is energy ? Can you give examples of energy?
1. Drop a tennis ball from:
● 5 feet
● 3 feet
● 1 feet
2. Measure how high the ball bounces (the first time)
3. Count how many times the ball bounces until it stops bouncing.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for 3 feet and 1 feet.
5. How does the height from which you drop the ball affect the rebound
height? Does the height from which you drop the ball affect how many
times it bounces?
Height Rebound height (first
time (approximately)
Number of bounces
until it stops bouncing
5 feet
3 feet
1 feet
1. What caused the ball to “bounce” in each instance? What was the
bounce an example of?
2. Why did the balls eventually stop bouncing?
Where did the “bounce” go?
3. What is the correlation between the drop height and the bounce height?
Write your answers below.

Exploration