Completion requirements
2. Click on intro and place the skater at the top of the u-shaped ramp.
3. Click on bar graph on the top right corner.
Do you see how the potential energy bar is at its highest when the skater is at the top of either side of the ramp?
Do you see how the kinetic energy bar is at its highest when the skater is at the bottom of the ramp?
Do you notice how the total amount of energy never changes? Do you also notice that at any given point the amount of kinetic energy added to the amount of potential energy equals the total amount of energy?
Activity 1
1. Click on the link below:
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/energy-skate-park-basics2. Click on intro and place the skater at the top of the u-shaped ramp.
3. Click on bar graph on the top right corner.
Do you see how the potential energy bar is at its highest when the skater is at the top of either side of the ramp?
Do you see how the kinetic energy bar is at its highest when the skater is at the bottom of the ramp?
Do you notice how the total amount of energy never changes? Do you also notice that at any given point the amount of kinetic energy added to the amount of potential energy equals the total amount of energy?
Conclusion
When the skater is at the top of the ramp, he has gravitational potential energy. As he travels down the ramp, this energy is converted into kinetic energy.
As he travels up the other side of the ramp, the kinetic energy is converted into gravitational potential energy.
At all times, the amount of energy remains the same.
Click on Energy Skate Park to open the resource.