Name _______________________________________ Date ______ Period ___

Roller Coaster Energy Web Quest

Directions:
Go to www.Msascienceonline.weebly.com
PHYSICAL ROLLER COASTER

A. An Investigation of Potential
and Kinetic Energy
Watch this video: (Link 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehx1P4adv6I

1. What does a roller coaster have to do with the science

of energy?
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2. What is potential energy?
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3. What is kinetic energy?
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B. Check out the energy in a roller coaster ride!
Play the picture on this page to answer the questions below. (Link 2)
https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/hew06.sci.phys.maf.rollercoaster/energy-in-a-
roller-coaster-ride/#.WiShnkqnHIU

Directions:
____1. Hit the PLAY button and watch the roller coaster
____2. Now, go step by step.
____3. Choose 2 colors of crayon or colored pencil.
____4. Make a Key below: Choose one color for potential Energy
and one color for Kinetic Energy.
____5. Record the information in the data table from the graph
and velocity box for each of the 6 steps of the roller coaster.

Key: Graph

Potential Energy
Kinetic Energy
Velocity
 Data Table
GRAPH: Fill in the Record the Describe, in words, what is happening to the
Circle showing the Velocity energy at this point
Potential or Kinetic (m/s)
Energy

6
Analysis:
1. At which point is potential energy the greatest? ____________
2. At which point is potential energy the least? _______________
3. At which point is kinetic energy the greatest? ______________
4. At which point is kinetic energy the least? ________________
5. If you are riding in your roller coaster, how do you think your
Velocity (speed) is related to your kinetic energy?
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6. Use this image to answer the questions below about Energy:

1. At which point is potential energy the greatest? ____________ Why?

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2. At which point is kinetic energy the greatest? ______________ Why?

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