Discovery Activities: Potential and Kinetic Energy

Develop an understanding of these two states of energy using a vehicle and ramp to overcome inertia. Collect, graph, and analyze data.

Contact Information

For more information about this program, contact:

Menzel Smith-Jones
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Bldg.400C – P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000
631-344-4495 (phone)
631-344-7098 (fax)
slc@bnl.gov

Students will develop an understanding of these two states of energy using a vehicle and a ramp to overcome inertia. Through their experiments students will collect, graph, and analyze data to discover the relationship between these two types of energy.

Vocabulary

inertia, energy, potential, kinetic

Audience for This Program

Elementary Grade: 4

Program Benefits

Lesson Objectives

1) Demonstrate an understanding of potential and kinetic energy, and the difference between them.

2) In a cooperative group conduct an experiment; collect, graph, and analyze data.