Instructions: Go to the website: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-s
ID: 1650099 • Letter: I
Question
Instructions:
Go to the website: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-skate-park and choose the intro option.
Become familiar with the controls to change the display (pie chart, bar graph, grid, speed), the mass of the skater, shape of the ramp, and speed of the simulation (pause, slow motion, normal).
With the GRID on and BAR GRAPH on (use the check boxes next to those options), place the skater on the parabolic ramp at a height of 4 meters and let them go.
Q1) How does the kinetic energy relate to the total energy when the skater is at a height of 0 meters?
Q2) How does the potential energy relate to the total energy when the skater is at a height of 0 meters?
Q3) How does the total energy change when you change the mass of the skater while they are on the ramp?
Q4) How does the motion of the skater ( like speed and frequency of back-and-forth) change when you change the mass of the skater while they are on the ramp?
Explanation / Answer
A1)At height zero, kinetic energy is maximum and total energy is equal to the kinetic energy
A2)At height zero, potential energy is 0 and contributes nothing to the total energy
A3)Total energy changes proportionately with mass
A4)Motion of the skater becomes more rapid i.e., speed and frequency increase with increase in mass.