Kinetic and Potential Energy

Vocabulary:

kinetic energy

potential energy

energy of movement
stored

energy

potential chemical energy

stored energy

released by chemical changes

Comprehension Questions
1. Explain how speed and weight affect an amount of kinetic energy.
2. Identify three examples of items that can store potential energy.
3. How can energy be transferred back forth between kinetic energy and potential energy?
4. Identify one example of how potential chemical energy is used.

5. Name two kinds of energy that potential and kinetic energy can create.
6. How does kinetic energy apply a force to something else?
7. What type of energy is created when a brick falls from the top of a wall?
8. Explain how kinetic energy can be changed into potential energy.
9. Identify two ways in which a spring has potential energy.

Activities:
#1
Marble Role
OVERVIEW: This lesson is to help students more fully understand the relationship between
Potential and Kinetic energy. Students should already know the definitions for work and
mechanical energy.
PURPOSE: Students will observe and record the amount of work done by the three different
marbles rolling down an inclined plane and hypothesize about the reasons for the differences.
OBJECTIVE(s): Students will:

1. Discover that the larger the mass, and the higher an object is raised, the more energy is
stored.
2. Measures the differences in inches and/or centimeters.
3. Compute the average distances.
4. Make predictions, record observations, and create hypothesis.
MATERIALS:
3 marbles (Different sizes &/or weights), inclined plane, ruler, milk carton.
PROCEDURES:
Explanation:
Set up a demonstration of rolling three different sized marbles down an inclined plane. Place the
bottom section of a milk carton at the bottom of the ramp to catch the marble and measure the
distance that it moves the carton.
Pre Lesson: Questions
1. Who can tell me the meaning of work?
2. What is mechanical energy?
3. Which marble could have more mechanical energy? (sitting on flat plane)
*4. If I put the marbles up on the inclined plane, would they have energy? Why?
This energy is called potential energy: (PE) Energy at the point of release or stored energy. The
energy of a moving object is Kinetic energy. (KE) PE changes to KE as the marble rolls down
the ramp.
* Which marble do you think has the most PE?
* Ask students to predict how many centimeters each marble will move the milk carton, and
which marble will move it the most. (write on a piece of paper)
Demonstrate one marble and record the distance the milk carton was moved. Repeat five times
and take the average distance. Demonstrate the second and third marbles using the same process.
Compare students predictions with outcomes.
* Which marble had the most energy? Why?
* What would happen if the smaller marble was let go at twice the height of the larger one?
Why? (Demonstrate)

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:

* What are some examples of storing and using energy in our environment? (Teeter-toter,
Wrecking ball, dam, Elevators)
* What factors affect the amount of work an object can do? (Mass and Height)
On the paper that students wrote their predictions, have them explain why their predictions were
right or wrong.

Activity #2
Potential and Kinetic Energy: Jumping Jacks
1. Have students assume a standing X position, with arms above their shoulders in a wide V and
legs apart in an inverted V.
2. Tell them to hold the position, and explain that they are storing potential energy, just waiting to
be converted into kinetic energy -- energy in motion.
3. Allow them to do a jumping jack. Explain that, as they move, they're creating kinetic energy; at
each pause their bodies are holding potential energy.

Activity #3

Potential Chemical Energy: Cork Experiment

An interactive experiment that 3rd graders will love.
Purpose:
Demonstrate the relationship of potential energy and chemical energy using vinegar
and baking soda.
Explain that vinegar and baking soda are made of molecules that contain potential
energy in their chemical bonds, or potential chemical energy.
Materials:
baking soda, 20 sets of goggles, vinegar, 5 plastic flasks with corks and 5 measuring
cups.
Procedure:
1. Have students write a one sentence prediction of what will happen when
baking soda, vinegar and water are mixed together.
2. Break students into 5 groups of 4.

3. Instruct students to put their goggles on.

4. Have students mix half a cup each of water and vinegar in a plastic flask.
5. Put a teaspoon of baking soda in a coffee filter.

6. Insert it in the flask.

7. Place cork securely on flask.
8. Quickly move away.

9. After the cork pops off the flask have students write a paragraph about the
steps of the experiment and the results. They should write it on the same sheet
of paper as the prediction.
The energy created -- kinetic energy created when chemical interaction
converts potential energy -- will blow the cork right off the flask.
(For a less messy -- but also less dramatic -- experiment, pour vinegar
over a pile of baking soda and watch the energy conversion occur.)

Activity #4
Potential Energy and Gravity
A bouncing ball is an interesting way to demonstrate a rapid conversion from
potential to kinetic energy and back, created by gravity. Allow students to hold a ball
over their heads, let it bounce off the pavement and allow it to continue bouncing.
Explain that gravity is the force that converts the ball's potential energy to kinetic
energy; when it hits the pavement, it possesses potential energy for an instant, and
then the force of the ground converts it to kinetic again as it bounces upward.

Activity #5
Potential and Kinetic Energy: Rubber Band
Rubber bands provide an excellent vehicle for explaining potential energy to sixthgrade students. Give a rubber band to each student. Ask them to hold it tightly and
stretch it almost as tightly as possible. Explain that the stretched rubber band
exemplifies potential energy, which they can feel in the tension as the rubber band
pulls against their hands. Then let them let go of the rubber band -- pointing it at the

wall and not at each other. Explain that movement in the rubber band demonstrates
potential energy being converted to kinetic energy.

Gravity, Force and Work

Vocabulary:

force

something that pushes or pulls something else

gravity

a force that pulls everything toward the center of the earth

friction

a force that is created when something rubs against something else

work

using a force to move an object some distance

Comprehension Questions
1. Explain examples of how force pushes and pulls.

2. How does gravity pull something to earth?

3. Explain how a force stops something from moving.

4. Can anything move without a force pushing or pulling it?

5. Identify three kinds of force.
6. Identify two kinds of friction.
7. How does a rocket engine use force?

8. What does distance has to do with the force of gravity?

9. What does weight have to do with the force of gravity?
10. What happens to something when force is put on it?

Activities:

build a simulated luge track and make predictions about the impact of surface

test their predictions by conducting several simulated luge runs; and

make conclusions about the affects of force and friction on the sport of luging.

Materials

cardboard strips

tape

small fans

butter

aluminum foil

stopwatches

wax paper

quarters

oil

Popsicle sticks

Activities:

A. Luge Run

1. Begin the lesson by reviewing the definition of force as something that pushes or pulls
something else and friction as a force that occurs when moving two objects that touch

each other. Ask if students can recall examples of friction from the video. (Possible
answers include the caveman going down the slide or riding in the wagon.

2.

Ask students if they think friction increases or decreases acceleration. Challenge them to
their answers with examples from the video.

3.

Introduce the lab by asking students if they know about the Olympic sport called luge.
Then share the background information. (Ask volunteers to read)
Background information: The word luge (pronounced LOOZH) is French for "racing sled." Luge has its roots
in the 16th century, but it didn't become an Olympic sport until 1964. The luge sled usually has two wooden
runners connected by two steel bridges with a seat slung between. The surface of each runner is plastic or
steel.
At the start gate, competitors grasp handles that help them launch the sled down the ice. Racers
"paddle" along the ice to increase their momentum for about ten feet. They use gloves with small spikes in the
fingertips for better grip. Once underway, racers travel down the course lying on their backs feet first; they
have limited vision. They go through 17 curves on 4,318 feet of track in less than one minute, sometimes
traveling 90 miles an hour. A luge has no brakes. Athletes steer by applying pressure against the sides of the
luge with their feet, shoulders, and legs. They stop the sled by sitting up and putting their feet on the ice.
The Olympic luge events include singles (one racer) and doubles (two racers). In singles luge, a racer
takes four runs down the track. The four times are added together for a total time. The winner achieves the
fastest total time. In doubles luge, pairs take two runs; the winners have the fastest time.

4.

If possible, have students watch a demonstration of luge skills and a run such as at this
Web site: http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/disciplines_uk.asp?DiscCode=LG . After
viewing the video and learning about the sport from the site above, have students brainstorm the
forces that affect a luge run. What forces can cause a luge to gain speed? What forces can cause
its speed to decrease?

5.

Tell students that they will learn more about the effect of force and friction by building
their own luge track. They will make predictions and conduct a lab to test their predictions.
During the lab, two different objects will careen down a cardboard slope covered by a selected
type of surface.

6.

Before the lab, have students make predictions about the following questions:

A real luge track surface is made of hard ice. Review the kinds of surfaces
below. Predict the order of these track surfaces in order of fastest (1) to slowest
(10). (You may substitute other types of surface materials.)

Aluminum foil ___

Aluminum foil with butter ___

Aluminum foil with water ___

Aluminum foil with crushed ice ___

Aluminum foil with oil ___

Wax paper ___

Wax paper with butter ___

Wax paper with water ___

Wax paper with crushed ice ___

Wax paper with oil ___

Which object would go faster down any of the tracks listed above: a quarter
or a Popsicle stick?

Would the object go faster, slower, or at the same rate of speed on a slope
with a 30-degree angle or a 60-degree angle?

Would an object with wind blowing up the ramp go faster or slower than an
object with no wind resistance?

2
Divide the class into groups. Give each group a strip of cardboard to use as their
simulated track. Have each group choose a surface from the list above to cover their cardboard.
As a class, come up with ways to keep all of the other variables the same on the track. Once the
tracks are covered, have each group prop theirs up at a 60-degree angle.

Give each group two objects to simulate the luge: a Popsicle stick and a quarter.

Have each group select a person to use a stopwatch to time each run. Have each group
place the quarter flat at the top of their ramp. Have one or two students use a ruler to hold the
quarter in place at the starting line. At your command, have them lift the ruler quickly (like
raising a gate). As in the Olympics singles event, have each group make four runs: two with the
quarter and two with the Popsicle stick. Add the times together for all four runs. Which track
demonstrated the fastest luge? Which object had the fastest time? How do these results compare
to student predictions?
4

5
Next have students test the effect of wind resistance on their tracks. Using the same track
surface, have students do another set of four runs with a small fan blowing up the ramp. Does the
speed of the run increase, decrease, or stay the same?
6
Finally, have students make another set of runs on a slope with a 30-degee angle. Does
the speed of the run increase, decrease, or stay the same? How does this compare to student
predictions?
Have students make a chart or graph where they combine all their information to make
conclusions about the effect of force and friction on the sport of luging.
7

B. Bean Bag Toss

This is an activity that will help students understand the concepts that gravity is a force
that depends on mass and distance; that mass is not the same as weight but rather the
amount of stuff that makes up a thing; and also that weight is a force. It is important you
determine whether or not students have a good understanding of forces, motion, etc.
The teacher stands at the front of the classroom and drops a beanbag to the floor. Ask
students:
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

Why did the beanbag drop to the floor? Since they just saw a movie on gravity, they
should know that it fell to the floor due to the "force of gravity."
Students may say "falling" since you've been discussing gravity. If so, push a chair and
say that you've just exerted a force on the chair, what happened?)
What if I pushed harder (put more force) on the chair? (The chair would move faster or
farther.)
What does weight have to do with the force of gravity? (Weight is a force, and its
strength depends on the strength of gravity. You could give the example of the moon
having six times less gravity than earth. Students would weigh only 1/6th of their weight
on the moon.)
Can you define the word force? (Try to get students to define it in the broadest sense,
basically that force causes motion. But do not discount more specific answers, such as
force pulls on things or pushes on things.)

This time toss the beanbag up into the air a bit and then let it fall to the ground. Ask students:
6.

Did the beanbag fall to the ground the same way as last time? Why or why not? Be sure
they understand that force pushed it up into the air, and also pulled it to the ground.

7.

Then ask students to predict what would happen if more force were used in tossing the
beanbag? What if the angle was just right and it got going fast enough, would it go
further?

Using Energy
Vocabulary:

energy

the ability to cause motion or create change; i.e., do work

conduction

moving heat energy between two things in contact

convection

moving heat as matter moves

radiation

energy that is sent out in waves or rays

transfer

to move from one place to another

electricity

transmitting energy by electric currents

appliance

a thing that changes energy from one form to another

energy-efficient

wasting less energy when used

Comprehension Questions
1. Explain how conduction works using a pan of hot water.
2. What kind of energy do kitchen appliances need?
3. Explain how one kind of energy can be made into another.

4. In what way does the sun heat the earth?

5. How does a radiator heat a room?
6. Why do some cars waste more energy than other cars?
7. Name two ways you can save energy.

Activiies:
Poster Project:
Supplies Needed: scissors, glue, construction paper, poster board, markers, crayons, colored
pencils, rulers, yarn, magazines (for cutting up)

Break students into groups of three. Then have one student from each group draw
an energy topic out of a hat. The selected term will be the topic of the poster the
student groups will collaborate on and design together. The steps are as follows:
a.) Students select a poster the teacher provides.

b.) Student groups research their term and discuss how they will decorate it.
c.) After agreeing on the format, the students decorate their posters showing how
energy works in our lives today.
d.) After the groups have completed their poster, they plan how they will present

their energy report to the class as in an oral report format.

e.) The scoring rubric is based on creativity, accuracy of information and final
presentation to the class.

Students complete a chart that identifies the four types of energy introduced in the movie:

heat energy, sun energy, chemical energy and light energy.

TYPE OF
ENERGY
HEAT

ELECTRICAL

LIGHT

CHEMICAL

DEFINITION

EXAMPLE

Study Guide for film:

Where Does Energy Come From?
Vocabulary

natural gas

a chemical that comes from very deep in the ground

furnace

a structure in your house that generates heat

refineries

a huge place that changes oil into useful things

generator

a machine that makes electricity

power plant

a building where electricity is made

turbines

a special fan used for turning generators

dam

a huge wall holding back a river

geothermal

heat that comes from within the earth

solar cells

cells that change sunlight into electricity

Comprehension Questions
1. Where does chemical energy come from?
2. Name two kinds of energy discussed in the movie.
3. How is natural gas used?
4. According to the movie, what is found in an underground lake?
5. Name two kinds of fuel used to keep warm.
6. What type of energy do we use many times a day?

7. Name three ways you use this kind of energy.

8. Can one generator make enough energy for all of the houses in your town?
9. What do most power plants use to make electricity?

10. How do solar cells make electricity?

Activities:
Make a turbine (generated by water)
Supplies:

1. A quart milk carton

2.
3.
4.
5.

String
A nail
Water in another larger container
Masking tape

Steps:
1.)
Using the nail, punch a hole in the bottom right corner of each side of
the milk carton.
Punch another hole exactly in the middle of the top section of the
carton

2.)
Push the string through the top hole of the carton and tie securely so
the carton will hang from the string.
Tape up each hole with masking tape.

3.) Go outside and hang the carton from a low tree branch or another
place when the carton can hang freely and you won't mind if the
ground gets wet underneath.
Fill the carton with water.

4.) Pull off the tape on one corner. Watch what happens.
Pull off the tape on two corners opposite each other. Watch what
happens.
Pull off the tape on all corners and watch what happens.
Sir Issac Newton discovered the principle that for every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction. This is called his Third Law. The water pours
out of the small hole and its force pushes the carton in the opposite
direction. This is what makes it turn. The more holes there are, the faster
the carton turns.
This is similar to some turbines. Some turbines use water or steam that is
forced a high speed through many small holes to turn a turbine around. The
turbine is connected by a shaft to an electrical generator, which makes
electricity when it is turned.

Activity #2
Solar heating
Materials:
40 empty rinsed soda cans, 20 sheets of black construction paper, 20 sheets of white paper, 40
thermometers, clay and scotch tape.
1. Give each student two empty soda cans.
2. Put a thermometer inside each can.
3. Pack clay around the opening of the can sealing it.
4. Tape white paper around one can.
5. Tape black paper around the other can.
6. Leave the cans on their sides out on the playground.

Recording

1. After experiment is complete, have students share their individual responses in a class forum.
2. Ask what the two temperatures generally showed (i.e. degrees).
3. Ask for explanations as to why they think the thermometer in the can covered with black paper
had a higher temperature.
4. Students then write about their experiment results in a paragraph format including a hypothesis
and a detailed result of the experiment.

Activity #3
Energy Mobile
Materials:
Note cards, hangers, string, crayons, and 10 black markers

Procedure:
1. Have students complete a graphic organizer listing two kinds of energy and three sources of
energy that create electricity.
2. On index cards (that have a hole punched in the top center) have students draw pictures of each
item listed.
3. Then have them draw a picture of a sun on a separate index card.
4. Using permanent back markers, have students label their cards with one word per card.

Examples of a wind mills, dams, coal burning, solar panels, etc.)

5. Hand out hangers with 5 evenly dispersed strings attached to them.
6. Students then attach their note cards to the strings tying them through the holes.
7. This step should be completed after school. Hang the mobiles from the spaces between the

ceiling tiles in your classroom. Bend the hook part of the hanger to expedite securing the hangers
to the ceiling.