Potential and Kinetic Energy; To Move or not to Move. Students will investigate, through a guided ex ... Roll with It. PB349X4web. Investigating Kinetic and Potential Energy. In this lesson, students use a variety of resources to explore the concepts of potential, kinetic, and total energy within different types of systems.
Students watch a video that explains the transfer of energy in a trebuchet’s release, use an interactive activity to determine the types of energy involved in different parts of a roller coaster ride, do an in-class investigation that demonstrates the effect of mass and gravity on energy systems, explore the difference between gravitational and elastic potential energy, and finally, use the formulas for kinetic and potential energy to examine the path of a projectile. Use these resources to create a simple assessment or video-based assignment with the Lesson Builder tool on PBS LearningMedia. 1. Introduce the concept of energy by showing students the Energy Transfer in a Trebuchet QuickTime Video. Ask students to identify the forces they see at work on the trebuchet as well as where the energy for the launch comes from. Potential and Kinetic Energy; To Move or not to Move. Students will investigate, through a guided ex ...