Transformation of Energy
The system we are considering consists of the skater in the simulation, the track he is moving on, and the earth.
Click on the "Bar Graph" button on the right side of the simulation. See the image at the right. A bar graph will appear with a bar representing the skater's kinetic energy, one representing the system's potential energy, one representing the system's thermal energy, and a fourth bar representing the systems total energy. |
If the skater in your simulation isn't already moving, click on the "Play" button at the bottom of the simulation. See the image below. You might need to place the skater at the top of one side of the track and release him after clicking on the "Play" button. As the skater moves up and down the track, pay attention to what happens to the system's kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy as represented by the energy bar graph.
After watching what happens to the system's kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy as the skater moves up and down on the track, answer the questions in the self-quiz below.
Transformation of Energy Self-Quiz
Scroll to the top of the page and read before attempting the quiz.
- Where is the skater/Earth system's gravitational potential energy the largest?
- at the top of the skater's path
- at the bottom of the track
- on the right-hand side of the track
- on the left-hand side of the track
- somewhere between the top and the bottom of the track
- Where is the skater's kinetic energy the largest?
- at the top of his path
- at the bottom of the track
- on the right-hand side of the track
- on the left-hand side of the track
- somewhere between the top and the bottom of the track
- Which kind(s) of energy does the skater/Earth system have when the skater is at the very top of his path? Select all answers which are correct.
- Which kind(s) of energy does the skater/Earth system have when the skater is at the very bottom of the track? Select all answers which are correct.
- Which kind(s) of energy does the skater/Earth system have when the skater is halfway between the top and the bottom of the track? Select all answers which are correct.
- Where is the skater traveling the fastest?
- at the top of his path
- at the bottom of the track
- on the right-hand side of the track
- on the left-hand side of the track
- somewhere between the top and the bottom of the track
- Where is the skater traveling the slowest?
- at the top of his path
- at the bottom of the track
- on the right-hand side of the track
- on the left-hand side of the track
- somewhere between the top and the bottom of the track
- What is the skater's speed at the top of his path?
- 0 m/s
- larger than 0 m/s
- smaller than 0 m/s