Lesson Plan 1 Potential Energy printable pdf download

ENERGY AND NASCAR

LESSON PLAN 1: POTENTIAL ENERGY

HIDDEN

ENERGY

TIME REQUIRED:

1 hour

MATERIALS:

Small marble, large marble, Ping-Pong ball, golf ball, large pan, flour, yardstick

ACTIVITY AND RESOURCE SHEETS:

Potential Energy Activity Sheets A and B

3. Explain that cars use electric potential

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Have students

energy to operate. When a driver starts

complete the pre-assessment. Save the

the car, the battery releases a jolt of

pre-assessments until the end of the

electricity to power parts inside the

unit to measure the growth in student

car. The fuel in the car’s gas tank holds

knowledge.

chemical potential energy. When the

PRE-ASSESSMENT ANSWER KEY:

fuel burns, it undergoes a chemical

1. C; 2. B; 3. D; 4. B; 5. A; 6. A; 7. C; 8. D;

reaction that unleashes energy to

9. D; 10. D

power the car’s engine and propel the

vehicle around the track. Batteries

are unique because they hold energy

Central question:

in chemical form, but they release

potential energy in its current state.

What is potential energy?

THINK

electric energy! (Fun fact: NASCAR

(No, because there’s no distance

racecars use Sunoco Green E15 as

for gravity to pull it toward Earth.)

1. Introduce the concept of potential

fuel. Just like a car, the human body

Raise the marble about one foot in

energy—energy that is stored due

relies on chemical potential energy

the air. Ask whether the ball now

to an object’s position or condition.

stored in another type of fuel—food.

has any potential energy. (Yes.)

Explain that the word “potential” means

By breaking down food, our bodies

having the ability to do something.

3. Drop the marble into a large pan

get the energy they need to survive.)

Therefore, potential energy is energy

filled with a few inches of flour.

that has not yet been used.

4. Describe how a racecar also has

Gently remove it from the pan, and

a suspension system between its

have a volunteer measure the width

2. To illustrate the concept of potential

wheels and its base. This system

of the impact crater left in the flour.

energy, ask students to imagine a

contains flexible springs that store

Climb on a chair and drop the marble

racecar sitting on the top of a steep

elastic potential energy. This type

from a height of about seven feet.

banking. (See the Build section

of energy—also called mechanical

Measure the new impact crater.

of Lesson 2: Kinetic Energy for a

energy—is energy stored in an object

Repeat the experiment with the large

description of racetrack bankings.)

due to its tension. When the car hits a

marble, the Ping-Pong ball, and the

Tell students that in this position the

bump in the road, the springs absorb

golf ball. Have students take notes

car is loaded with a specific type of

the impact by compressing. Then they

throughout the experiment. After

potential energy, called gravitational

stretch to release the stored energy,

the demonstration is complete, ask

potential energy. Explain that when

pushing the tire back against the road.

them to draw conclusions about how

an object, like a racecar, is far above

This helps prevent the car’s wheels

mass and height impact the amount

the ground, a force called gravity pulls

from losing their grip on the track.

of potential energy an object has.

it downward toward Earth’s surface.

Central question:

How do we identify the

What types of potential

What affects the amount of

different types of potential

TEAM UP

energy exist?

potential energy an object has?

BUILD

MOVE

energy around us?

1. Hand out Potential Energy Activity

1. Explain that the potential energy of

Divide students into groups, and hand

Sheet A. Tell students that

an object is measured by its ability to

out Potential Energy Activity Sheet B. Tell

exert a specific amount of force for a

gravitational potential energy is

students to study the scenes on the sheet

just one type of potential energy.

particular distance. There are three

and search for examples of potential

factors that determine how much

Have them complete the activity to

energy. See which group can identify the

gravitational potential energy an

learn about three other forms.

most objects with stored energy. Answers:

object has: gravity, height, and mass.

Chemical: snacks in box in stands, gas,

2. Now that students understand

Gravity is constant, but differences

battery, racecar, blimp; Gravitational: tire

potential energy’s different forms,

in an object’s mass and height can

raised, food raised overhead, man holding

have them imagine a racecar sitting

increase or decrease the amount of

flag, man climbing ladder; Electric:

in position on the starting grid before

potential energy the object has.

lamppost, lights in the viewing boxes,

the start of a NASCAR race. Ask:

television camera; Elastic: muscles, tires,

What forms of potential energy might

2. To demonstrate, set a small marble

air compressor.

the car have before it starts moving?

on the floor of your classroom.

Ask students if the marble has

Lesson Plan 1 Potential Energy

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