Name: Krittiya Sagaekhao (Gift)  Date: 24/11/2020 

 

Labs and simulations - Phet  BCISB Physics 

Conservation of mechanical energy - Energy Skate Park 

Purpose
The purpose of the energy skate park simulation is to see how energy gets ​conserved ​and
transferred in a real world application. In this simulation you will design tracks and manipulate the
skater and friction to see the effect of these on a skater who behaves according to the laws of
physics.

Background
Total energy/mass can ​not be created or destroyed - a well known fact. If there is ​no friction​, and
gravitation is the only force acting on an object (e.g. on Earth), ​mechanical energy is conserved (i.e.
KE+PE is always constant) - another well known fact.

That’s great, but how to use it in practice? Can we use these simple principles of energy
conservation and transfer to predict how things will behave before they actually do, and design
machinery that works? Engineers do this every day (it’s called ‘modelling’), and are usually quite
successfully at that.

Energy Skate Park simulation is such an engineering computer model that allows you to understand,
predict and design roller coaster rides from the comfort of your armchair (and teaches you some
basic physics to boot).
2
mV
Important Formulas:​ P E = mgh, KE = 2
, W = ΔE

Procedure
Start “Energy Skate Park” simulation:
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/energy-skate-park/latest/energy-skate-park_all.html

Before you start playing with the simulation, please answer the following (the simulation will apply
these concepts):

PART 1. Describe the terms listed below in a complete sentence (or complete sentences):
(useful vocabulary: energy, transfer, transformation, conservation, total energy, mechanical
energy, potential energy (PE), kinetic energy (KE), friction ‘losses’, thermal/heat energy,
assumptions, idealized model, elevation, datum, speed.
Potential Energy:

The energy conserves in the object which is influenced by the gravitational acceleration, the
height of the object from its position to the destination, and the mass of the object. It is the
energy which will transfer into kinetic energy (and thermal energy if friction is presented).

Kinetic Energy:

The energy that potential energy converts into when the object begins its motion. The object
gains this energy when it begins to accelerate from its position. Kinetic energy depends on the
velocity and the mass of the object.

Thermal Energy:

Thermal energy is the heat exerted from an object or from an action. Fire releases thermal energy
into the environment. Frictions create thermal energy. Temperature plays a significant role in the
transference of thermal energy. As the temperature increases, the molecule particles move faster,
creating thermal energy.

Total Energy:

Total energy is the summation of potential and kinetic energy; all the energy presented before
and during the motion of the object.

Energy Transfer without Friction - if masses move with no friction, what type of energy do we ​not
have?:

We would not have thermal energy.

PART 2. Basic calculations

Create a ramp like the one shown that is 10 metres tall.

Make sure the ramp does not touch the ground.

Drop the skater from the top of the ramp so that he

reaches the top of the ramp on the other side and
comes back again.

Open the ‘Energy vs. Position’ graph and wait until a

full set of data has been collected. Use this graph to fill
in the information in the table below.

30 kg 50 kg 70 kg 90 kg

Maximum 2345.3/2342.3 J 3908.8/3906 J 5472.3/5459.2 J 7035.8/7035.1 J

potential energy

Minimum 288.0 J 483.5 J 658.4 J 850.4 J

potential energy

Maximum kinetic 2057.3 J 3425.3 J 4813.8 J 6185.3 J

energy

1.​ Which of the skaters had the most energy?

The largest skater -90 kg- has the most energy.

2.​ Why did this skater have the most energy?

The energy of the skater depends on the mass of the skater, the height of the ramp and the
gravitational acceleration (both of which remain consistent). Thus, the skater with the largest
mass will have the most energy.

3.​ Why does the total energy line remain flat?

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Therefore, all the potential energy the skater poses at the
beginning simply transfers into kinetic energy without the presence of friction.

Set up your ramp so that it looks like the one

shown.

Drop the skater from each of the dots on the

ramp, starting from the top, and complete the
table below.
 Dot 1 2 3 4 5 6

Max. potential 3544.5 J 1681.5 J 85.4 J - - -

energy

Max. kinetic 3466.4 J 1583.6 J 9.3 J - - -

energy

I apologize for the unfinished table, however, the only section capable of measuring exact values is
the “measure” section. In this section, there are only 3 dots. However, if you wished for me to
calculate the rest of them, please comment on this section so I can fix it later. Thank you Mr. Maciej.

4. What was the effect on the skater’s maximum potential energy when he was placed further down
the ramp?

The maximum potential energy of the skater decreases when he is placed further down the ramp.

5.​ Explain why this happened.

The potential energy can be calculated by the mass of the skater, the gravitational acceleration,
and the height of the ramp. When the height of the ramp decreases, the potential energy
decreases as well. While the mass and the gravity is constant, the height is an independent
variable which changes the maximum potential energy.

6. What was the effect on the skater’s maximum kinetic energy when he was placed further down
the ramp?

The skater's maximum kinetic energy lessens when he is placed further down the ramp.

7.​ Explain why this happened (note: this is not directly because of height).

The skater's maximum kinetic energy depends on the velocity and the mass of the skater. Velocity
is distance/time. When the skater is placed further down the ramp, the distance decreases. Thus,
the skater has less time to accelerate down the ramp.

Set up your ramp so that it looks like the one shown.

In the table below record the ​maximum potential

energy for each of the skaters at the top of the loop. Repeat this on the Moon, and on Jupiter. You
will need to place the skater at the top of the ramp each time you change location.

30 kg 50 kg 70 kg 90 kg

Earth 1175. 9 J 1959.8 J 2743.8 J 3527.3

Moon 194.4 J 323.9 J 453.5 J 583.2 J

Jupiter 2975.5 J 4959.1 J 6941.7 J 8926.5 J

8.​ Explain why the maximum potential energy of the skaters was different at each location.

One of the factors which Potential energy depends on is the gravitational acceleration of each
place. Thus, when the location is not the same, the potential energy is different as well.

9.​ What are the values of gravity on Earth, on the Moon and on Jupiter?

Earth: 9.81 m/s​2

Moon: 1.6 m/s​2
Jupiter: 24.8 m/s​2

10. ​a) Increase the friction on the track and explain what effect this has on the total energy of the
skater.

The total energy of the skater remains the same. However, the kinetic energy will not be the same
anymore.

b)​ What type of energy is the friction causing the other energy to transform into?

Friction causes other energy to transform into thermal energy.

\\

PART 3. Build your own park!

Build your track on the planet of your choice and use any skater. Your design has to work (i.e. the
skater can’t violate laws of physics). The fancier, the better! You will have to explain energy
transfers involved in your design. Insert your design and a short description of it below.

At the beginning of the slope, the skater has the maximum potential energy. Its value is equal to
the total energy of the skater. During the skater’s descent down the slope, the potential energy
transferred into kinetic energy. The summation of potential and kinetic energy during the descent
is the total energy of the skater. Once the skater goes into the loop, the velocity allows the
skateboard to cling to the track even without the “stick to the track” command. Although the
kinetic energy continues to increase on the way down, it slightly decreases when the skater
follows the curve up to the top of the loop. After the brief increase in potential energy, the kinetic
energy steadily rises as the skater makes her way down the ramp. Her maximum kinetic energy is
at the end of the ramp; a small portion of her energy transforms into thermal energy as she hits
the ground.