© Weston, 2008

Six Flags Over Joe!Six Flags Over Joe!

#1 Joe wants a day o’ fun#1 Joe wants a day o’ funJoe’s at the theme park enjoying some cotton candy.

He knows that he needs to “fuel up” and get some energy for the day.

There’s a lot of standing and walking involved at the Six Flags.

#2 What’s Energy, Anyway?

#2 What’s Energy, Anyway?

Joe remembers from somewhere before that matter is all the“stuff” in the universe, but energy was different.

That’s right…this glow toy thing I won is matter…but the light it gives off is

energy!

#3 Write It!#3 Write It!

Notes – Energy, Potential & KineticI. Energy – anything that can cause a change

or do work. Energy is measured in joules (J).

Write.your.name

James P. Joule (1818 – 1889)

#4 Joe’s Glad he ate his Eggo Waffle this morning#4 Joe’s Glad he ate his

Eggo Waffle this morningHe’s feeling energized for his trip to

the amusement park. The cotton candy will help, too.

He’s feeling energized for his trip to the amusement park. The cotton candy will help, too.

He sees something

that totally grabs his

attention. Not just any

ride. THE ride.

*GASP!*

#5 The Ride That Will End The Day…

#5 The Ride That Will End The Day…

…and there’s ONE SPOTleft! Go Joe!

#6 And once on board…we begin to go go go

#6 And once on board…we begin to go go go

UGH

#7 Poor Joe#7 Poor Joe

…he’s lost his Eggo.

…and his cotton candy.

…and last night’s meatloaf.

#7 He Should Know About Energy after this

experience

#7 He Should Know About Energy after this

experienceSpecifically, Potential and Kinetic energy!

The Conquistador ride at Six Flags is an example of apendulum. A pendulum is an object that swings back and forth, and are very useful for studying potential and kineticenergy.

#8 But first, let’s define those terms

#8 But first, let’s define those terms

Notes – Energy, Potential & KineticI. Energy – anything that can cause a change

or do work. Energy is measured in joules (J).A. Kinetic Energy – the energy of moving

ex: a comet has a lot of kinetic energyB. Potential Energy – energy that is stored

due to position or shapeex: lifting a box, squishing a ball

#9 More on Potential Energy

#9 More on Potential Energy

A lot of students say, “I don’t get it. What does lifting a box have to do with anything?”

Remember, if energy is “the ability to cause a change,” thenconsider a box on the ground. Can it change anything around it?

No, not really. But what if you fight gravity and lift it off the ground? Now, the box has the potential to do a lot

of damage to anything it falls onto. If that’sa bug or your big toe, it’ll definitely bechanged!

And if you lift it higher? You give it MORE potential energy, because it’s stored up all the energy in the work you did to raise it to that height. Release it, and it can turn into scary kinetic energy!

#10 Back to Pendulums#10 Back to PendulumsDangle a yo-yo and tie it to something. That can be a pendulum.

Does the yo-yo have kinetic energy?

No. It’s not moving.

Does it have potential energy?

No. It’s not squished, stretched, oranything that suggests it’s stored anyenergy up.

#11 Lift the yo-yo to a height

#11 Lift the yo-yo to a height

…and hold it there.Does it have KE?

Nope. Not moving anymore.

Does it have PE?Yes! It took work to raise the yo-yoto a height against the force of gravity.

#12 Release the Yo-Yo!#12 Release the Yo-Yo!

The yo-yo falls (acceleratesdownward), due to gravity.

Does it have anyKE? Yes…becauseit’s moving.

Does it have potential energy?Yes, because it’s still muchhigher than when it was dangling. Gravity still has a long way to pull it down.

#13 The Yo-Yo continues to fall

#13 The Yo-Yo continues to fall

Is the yo-yo swinging faster?Sure is. So its kinetic energy isincreasing.

But as the yo-yo falls, it’s not nearlyas high as it once was. A lot of thatstored-up potential energy is beingturned into faster and faster kineticenergy.

#14 And the yo-yo swings through…

#14 And the yo-yo swings through…

Here’s where the yo-yo is swinging its fastest.Like a wrecking ball…

What about the PE? The yo-yo is at itslowest point…it can’t fall any further, soits PE is down to nothing.

#15 And then as the yo-yo continues onward?

#15 And then as the yo-yo continues onward?

Just like when you’re on the swingset,you slow down (losing KE) as you go up.

However, you then begin to store PE asyou fight gravity and rise into the air.

The process repeats over and over again.

That’s pendulum motion for you!

And it reminds us of a VERY important fact about energy—it isconserved. It is never created or destroyed, just turned into different forms.

#16 Write It!#16 Write It!

Notes – Energy, Potential & KineticI. Energy – anything that can cause a change

or do work. Energy is measured in joules (J).A. Kinetic Energy – the energy of moving

ex: a comet has a lot of kinetic energyB. Potential Energy – energy that is stored

due to position or shapeex: lifting a box, squishing a ball

II. Law of Conservation of Energy – Energy isnever created or destroyed…it is only transformed from one form into another.

#17 More Examples#17 More ExamplesKinetic and Potential energy very often transform into eachother. Think about a punted football.

As the ball falls from the sky, it loses PE as it nears the ground.But that stored PE is just turning into more and more KE.

When it hits the ground, it BRIEFLY stops moving (zero KE) butcompresses (squishes) building up a ton of PE. Then, it springs back, causing it to bounce upward.

#18 Energy can be transferred.

#18 Energy can be transferred.

The bat transferredKinetic energy tothe ball.

#19 PE and KE transformations are all

around us

#19 PE and KE transformations are all

around usThere are countless examples of potential and kinetic energychanging into each other all throughout your day. You just haveto notice them. Many are quite fun!

#20 In the meantime, Joe has recovered…

#20 In the meantime, Joe has recovered…

…only to wander over to the newest ride at the park.

What kind of ENERGY lesson willJoe get from THIS ride???

*gulp*

#16 And That’s…#16 And That’s…