Basic ?
How would you define energy?
(e.g., do work; cause a change)
What does kinetic mean?
relating to motion
What does potential mean?
Having the capacity; develop into something in the future.
Where does energy come from?
(e.g., position, transferred, converted, movement)
What is an example of an energy transfer?
(e.g., something wasn’t moving, then it moved; something is dropped; heat; light; sound; etc.)
What is the difference between kinetic and potential energy?
Kinetic energy is energy of motion and potential energy is associated with the relative position of something.
Explain how you could increase the potential energy of an object...
You could move the object to greater height or distance or you could increase an object’s mass.
What is an example of an energy transformation?
(e.g., motion to sound; motion to heat; electrical to light; electrical to heat; etc.)
What variable(s) determine the amount of kinetic energy an object has?
Mass and speed.
What variable(s) determine the amount of potential energy an object has?
The object’s position and its mass.
Explain how energy is transformed in a spring...
Potential energy is increased the more the spring is compressed. Once a person lets go of the spring, the potential energy is transformed to kinetic energy when the spring moves. (Students may also mention that some of the kinetic energy is converted to sound and heat.)
Explain which has a greater impact on the kinetic energy of an object --> the object's mass or the object's speed...
The speed of an object has a greater impact, because KE is proportional to ½ the mass of the object but to the speed squared.