Energy Skate Park: Basics

Learn about conservation of energy with a skater gal! Explore different tracks and view the kinetic energy, potential energy and friction as she moves. Build your own tracks, ramps, and jumps for the skater. • Explain the Conservation of Mechanical Energy concept using kinetic energy (KE) and gravitational potential energy (PE). • Describe how the Energy Bar and Pie Charts relate to position and speed. • Explain how changing the Skater Mass affects energy. • Explain how changing the Track Friction affects energy. • Predict position or estimate speed from Energy Bar and Pie Charts. • Calculate speed or height at one position from information about a different position. • Calculate KE and PE at one position from information about a different position. • Design a skate park using the concepts of mechanical energy and energy conservation.