Kinetic Energy
What happens to an object’s kinetic energy when it moves faster, while its mass stays the same?
Increases
What happens to an object’s gravitational potential energy when it is lifted higher?
Increases
At the top of a roller coaster hill, which is greater: kinetic energy or gravitational potential energy?
PE
When a light turns on, what energy transformation occurs?
Electrical to light and thermal
What type of heat transfer happens through direct contact between particles?
Conduction
Two carts move at the same speed. Which has more kinetic energy: the heavier cart or the lighter cart?
The heavier cart
Two objects are at the same height. Which has more gravitational potential energy: the object with greater mass or the object with less mass?
As a roller coaster travels downhill, what happens to its potential and kinetic energy?
PE decreases and KE increases
When a match is lit, what energy transformation occurs?
Chemical to light and thermal
What type of heat transfer carries energy through space, such as sunlight warming Earth?
Radiation
A student records the speeds and masses of several moving objects. What two variables should the student compare with kinetic energy in a graph?
Speed and mass
What two variables should a student compare with gravitational potential energy when making a graph?
Height and mass
At what point in a swinging pendulum’s path is its kinetic energy greatest: near the top or near the bottom?
Near the bottom
A battery-powered toy moves and makes sound. Name two energy transformations in this system.
Chemical to sound
Chemical to mechanical
What type of heat transfer occurs when warm liquid or gas rises and cooler fluid sinks?
Convection
A graph shows kinetic energy rising as speed rises, while mass stays the same. What relationship does the graph show?
As speed increases, KE increases
A graph shows potential energy increasing as height increases, while mass stays the same. What relationship does the graph show?
As height increases, PE increases
Describe an investigation using a pendulum to observe changes between kinetic and potential energy.
Measure the PE and KE at the sides and in the middle. PE is greatest at the sides, KE is greatest in the middle
A student claims that a lamp changes electrical energy into light energy. What observation could support this claim?
The lamp is plugged into a wall and gives off light when turned on
A metal spoon warms while sitting in hot soup. Identify the heat-transfer type and explain how energy moves.
Conduction, because heat is transferred through direct contact between the soup and the spoon
Two objects have the same mass, but one moves faster. Use the relationship between speed and kinetic energy to explain which object has more kinetic energy.
As speed increases, KE increases, so the object moving faster will have more KE
Two objects have different masses but the same height. What measurements should you compare to investigate how mass and height relate to potential energy?
Compare their mass to their PE, the one with more mass will have more PE
A student observes a roller coaster moving down and then up a track. Describe how its kinetic and potential energy change along the path.
KE increases and then decreases, PE decreases and then increases
Make a claim about the energy transformations in a toaster. Support it with evidence that could be observed.
A toaster turns electrical energy into light and thermal energy. The toaster is plugged in to a wall, and it turns on a light and heats up when turned on.
Plan a fair investigation to compare how different materials conduct heat. Name what you would change, measure, and keep the same. (HINT: think about conductors vs insulators)
Get objects made with different materials and measure their starting temperatures. Add the same amount of heat to all of the materials, and after a certain amount of time, measure and compare their ending temperatures. Conductors will heat up more than insulators.