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Mechanical Energy

Readiness

Mechanical Energy

TEKS Objective

Explore the uses of energy including mechanical, light, thermal, electrical, and sound energy.

Essential Understanding

The student knows that energy occurs in many forms and can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems.

Science Background

Mechanical Energy: The Physics Classroom (website) – Good introduction to mechanical energy, which is the energy that is possessed by an object due to its motion or due to its position.

Mechanical Energy
The Physics Classroom, www.physicsclassroom.com

Differences Between Solar and Mechanical Energy: eHow (website) - Simple explanations about energy and the significant differences between solar and mechanical energy.

Differences Between Solar and Mechanical Energy
by Timothy Banas, eHow, www.ehow.com

Signature Lesson

Move It: TeachEngineering (website) - Students learn about mechanical energy by investigating how the conservation of energy applies to impact situations, such as a car crash or an object falling to the ground.

Move It
TeachEngineering, www.teachengineering.org

Supporting Lessons

A River Ran Through It: TeachEngineering (website) - Hands-on activities, focusing on falling water and waterwheels, which teach students how water is used to generate electricity and allow investigation of water’s potential-to-kinetic energy transformation.

A River Ran Through It
TeachEngineering, www.teachengineering.org

The Ultimate Roller Coaster Contest: Discovery Education (website) - Fun lesson in which students design and construct a cardboard “roller coaster” to explore mechanical energy, both as gravitational potential energy and as kinetic energy. Includes discussion questions, assessment and extensions.

The Ultimate Roller Coaster Contest
Discovery Education, www.discoveryeducation.com

 

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Paper Rockets: NASA (website) - Students experience mechanical (kinetic) energy as they build and launch paper rockets.

Paper Rockets
by Gregory Vogt, NASA, www.microgravity.grc.nasa.gov

Rocket Car: NASA (website) - Students investigate mechanical (kinetic) energy as they construct a car to demonstrate the action and reaction that enable rockets to move.

Rocket Car
by Gregory Vogt, NASA, www.microgravity.grc.nasa.gov

Rocket Racers: K8 Science (video) – Watch this presentation by Dr. Gregory Vogt to learn the science behind the Rocket Car Racers, and how to build the racers with students using simple materials.

Rocket Racers
by Gregory Vogt, K8 Science, www.k8science.org

Assessment Ideas

Lead a class discussion about the potential and kinetic energy present in a roller coaster. Have students make drawings that illustrate these concepts, with labels to identify the potential and kinetic energy.

Literature Connections

Wind Power: Energy for the Future and Global Warming. Saunders, N. (ISBN-13: 978-0836884142)

Mechanical Engineering. Herweck, D. (ISBN-13: 978-0756539528)

A Crash Course in Forces and Motion with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Sohn, Emily (ISBN-13: 978-0736868372)

Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion. Gianopoulo, Andrea (ISBN-13: 978-0736868471)

Related Science TEKS

(5.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to demonstrate safe practices and the use of safety equipment as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations.

(5.1B) Recycling/Disposal of Science Materials
The student is expected to make informed choices in the conservation, disposal, and recycling of materials.

(5.2B) Ask Questions, Formulate a Hypothesis
The student is expected to ask well-defined questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and select and use appropriate equipment and technology.

(5.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect information by detailed observations and accurate measuring.

(5.2D) Analyze Evidence and Explain
The student is expected to analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct (observable) and indirect (inferred) evidence.

(5.2F) Communicate Conclusions
The student is expected to communicate valid conclusions in both written and verbal forms.

(5.2G) Graphs, Tables, Charts
The student is expected to construct appropriate simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts using technology, including computers, to organize, examine, and evaluate information.

(5.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including calculators, microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, prisms, mirrors, pan balances, triple beam balances, spring scales, graduated cylinders, beakers, hot plates, meter sticks, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observations of habitats or organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

(5.4B) Safety Equipment
The student is expected to use safety equipment, including safety goggles and gloves.

Related Math TEKS

(5.12B)   The student is expected to use experimental results to make predictions.

(5.14B)   The student is expected to solve problems that incorporate understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness.

(5.15A)  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

Energy Story: Energy Quest (website) - Students explore the energy that makes our world work and learn that energy is an important part of our daily lives. (The page indexes 20 energy lessons.)

Energy Story
Energy Quest, California Energy Commision, www.energyquest.ca.gov

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