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Physics Student Packet.”

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 Scream Roller Coaster at Six Flags
Magic Mountain Grand Opening

See page 2 of the student packet

Thunder Dolphin in downtown

Tokyo, Japan has a 150 ft drop
 See page 3 of the student packet

Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio. Built in

1976, it was the first roller coaster in
the world with 3 inversions.
 Energy is the ability to do work.
 Energy is anything that can make matter move or change.
 Some forms of energy include:
• Mechanical (kinetic and potential)
• Thermal (heat)
• Chemical
• Electrical
• Magnetic
• Sound
• Light
• Nuclear

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 A system is a set of parts that are connected in some way.
 The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can
not be created or destroyed in a system. Instead, it must be
converted or transformed into another type of energy.
 Energy transformation is the process of changing
energy from one form to another.
 An example of energy transformation is
what happens when you light a match.
The chemical energy stored in the match
is converted into heat energy and
light energy.

Forms of energy

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 As a roller coaster moves along the tracks, mechanical
energy (energy related to motion) is changed to heat
energy.

 Mechanical energy is changed to

heat energy because of
the friction between
the roller coaster and
the tracks. You can
feel the heat if you
touch the roller
coaster tracks.

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 With each hill, a roller coaster transforms mechanical
energy into heat energy. As the ride continues, the coaster
has less and less mechanical energy.
 The engineers who design roller coasters use math to
figure out how much mechanical energy is lost throughout
the ride. They make each hill that follows smaller to
compensate for this loss.
 Eventually the roller
coaster loses most of its
mechanical energy and
is able to come to a safe
stop.

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  Mechanical energy is the energy that
an object has due to its motion or
position.
 An object that has mechanical energy
is able to do work and make something
move. Mechanical energy is important
in the operation of all moving things
including roller coasters, simple
machines and even you and me.
 Mechanical energy is either kinetic
(the energy of motion) or potential
(stored energy).

Scenic Railway at Luna Park (Melbourne,

Australia), the world's oldest continually-
operating roller coaster, built in 1912
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 Potential energy is stored energy. It is the energy that an object
has because of its position or condition.
 A roller coaster on top of a hill, waiting to drop, has potential
energy.
 The roller coaster has the potential to move due to gravity. The
higher it is, the more potential energy it has.
 Potential energy can also be in the form
of stored fuel such as gasoline for a
car or food for a person.
 Potential energy can change
(transform) into kinetic energy.

Potential energy

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 Kinetic energy is the energy an object
has because of its motion.
 The amount of kinetic energy an
object has is influenced by its mass
and speed.

For example:
 A roller coaster that is full of people
has a greater amount of mass than
an empty roller coaster. A full roller
coaster has more energy and force.
This leads to a more thrilling and exciting ride!
 The higher the first drop, the greater the speed and total energy the
roller coaster will have. A taller track gives the roller coaster has more
energy than a shorter one.
Kinetic enery
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11
Explore energy transformation

How roller coasters work

Energy in a roller coaster ride

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 A model is a representation of a system, object or
concept. Models are used to simplify and make things
easier to understand.

 Mechanical engineers use models to envision their

creations. Mechanical engineers manipulate energy
using science and
math to build the
most exciting and
safe rides possible.

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Design a roller coaster

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Energy Energy is the ability to do work. Energy is anything
that can make matter move or change.
Kinetic Energy Kinetic energy is the energy an object has because of
its motion.
Potential Energy Potential energy is stored energy.

Mechanical Mechanical energy is the energy that an object has

Energy because of its motion or position.

System A system is a set of parts that are connected in some

way.
Energy Energy transformation is the process of changing
Transformation energy from one form to another.
Model A model is a representation of a system, object or
concept. Models are used to simplify and make
things easier to understand.
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See page 3 of the student packet
 See page 7 - 9 of the student
packet

A roller coaster at dorney park

Essential Question #1

In what ways do kinetic

and potential energy
contribute to an object’s
mechanical energy?

See page 10 of the student packet

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Essential Question #4

What is the relationship

between potential and
kinetic energy?

See page 10 of the student packet

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