Download Krista Mayer Energy Unit Student Objectives 2012 Guiding Question

Krista Mayer
Energy Unit Student Objectives 2012
Guiding Question: How and why do things change?
1. Define energy when given (real life examples and text book readings).
Anything that involves movement involves energy. For example, when you are walking
up the stairs you are using energy that pushes you up the stairs.
2. Define Potential and Kinetic Energy when given the (potential and kinetic energy formulas.)
When dropping a bouncy ball from a certain height the potential energy is at a peak, but
when released the potential energy decreases and the kinetic energy is increased. When
one decreases, the other increases in exact proportion.
3. Identify variables that effect the amount of potential and kinetic energy in an object when
(given the potential and kinetic energy formulas)
When dropping a bouncy ball mass, height, slope, gravity and speed are some of the
variables that affect the amount of potential and kinetic energy.
Evaluate a given system in terms of potential and kinetic energy when given (picture,
diagrams or story problems.)
You can tell the terms of potential and kinetic energy when given a picture,
diagram or story problems by knowing that potential is the energy being stored. Kinetic
energy is the energy in motion. If you were on a rollercoaster, at the beginning of the
ride you would have potential energy and then slowly the energy transforms into kinetic
energy.
4. Defend energy as either potential or kinetic energy when given specific types of energy sources
and the (potential and kinetic energy formulas).
An example of kinetic thermal energy is when you put a broken glow stick in hot water.
The hot water causes the molecules in the glow stick to move more fast causing the
glow stick to grow brighter. An example of potential gravitational energy is an apple
falling off a tree because the gravity causes the apple to fall.
5. Evaluate where and how energy is converted in a given energy system with (the assistance of
Need energy books, text book, Bill Nye energy video, class discussions and CPO roller coaster
lab).
Energy is converted from potential to kinetic when a skateboarder is going down a ramp
he has potential energy, but while the skater starts going up the ramp he has kinetic
energy because the energy that was being stored is now released and being used to
push the skateboarder up the ramp.
6. State the Law of Conservation of Energy.
The law of conservation of Energy is that energy can neither be created nor destroyed.
7. Support the Law of Conservation of Energy in a given energy transfer example, (the assistance of
Need energy books, text book, Bill Nye energy video, class discussions and CPO roller coaster
lab).
When you turn on a light bulb on you are not creating energy you are connecting circuits to
allow energy to flow. When you turn the light bulb off you are not destroying energy but simply
disconnecting the circuit and stopping energy from flowing to the light bulb. (Potential chemical
energy)
8. Defend the source and categorization of energy types: chemical, radiant, nuclear, thermal,
stored mechanical, mechanical, sound, electrical and gravitational energy as either potential or
kinetic when given specific sources of energy (the assistance of Need energy books, text book,
Bill Nye energy video, class discussions and CPO roller coaster lab).
Chemical, nuclear, stored mechanical energy and gravitational energy are all forms of
potential energy, because the energy is being stored. In potential chemical energy,
energy is being stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules. In nuclear energy the
energy is stored in the nucleus of an atom. Stored mechanical energy is energy stored in
object by the application of force. In gravitational energy it has to do with the place or
position, so a reservoir is an example. Radiant, thermal, motion, sound, and electrical
energy are examples of kinetic energy because they all have to do with the motion of
waves, electrons, atoms, molecules and substances.
9.
Classify energy sources as either renewable or non-renewable when given an energy source
example (the assistance of Need energy books, text book, Bill Nye energy video, class discussions
and CPO roller coaster lab).
Wind is renewable because it is always available because it’s a natural resource. Coal is a nonrenewable because it is a fossil fuel and there is a limited supply of it.