Conservation of Energy in Action While Riding a Ferris Wheel

What is Conservation of Energy?
The idea of conservation of energy means that energy can’t be created or destroyed. Instead, it just changes from one form to another. This concept is important in physics, and you can see it in machines like roller coasters, swings, and Ferris wheels.

How Energy Works on a Ferris Wheel
When you ride a Ferris wheel, two main types of energy are in play: potential energy and kinetic energy.

1. Potential Energy (PE)

   • At the top of the Ferris wheel, you have the most potential energy because you're high up. To find the potential energy, we can use this simple formula:
     • PE = mgh
     Here’s what the letters mean:
     • m = mass of the rider (in kilograms),
     • g = gravity, which is about 9.81 m/s²,
     • h = height of the Ferris wheel (in meters).

   For example, if the Ferris wheel is 30 meters wide, it reaches a height of 15 meters at the top. For a rider who weighs 70 kg, the potential energy at the top would be:

   • PE = 70 kg × 9.81 m/s² × 15 m ≈ 10,285.5 Joules

2. Kinetic Energy (KE)

   • As the Ferris wheel moves down, the potential energy goes down, and the kinetic energy goes up. Kinetic energy can be figured out with this equation:
     • KE = 1/2 mv²
     Where:
     • v = speed of the rider at that moment.

   At the bottom of the ride, potential energy is very low (almost zero), and kinetic energy is at its highest.

How Energy is Conserved During the Ride
As the Ferris wheel spins:

• At the top, most of the energy is potential.
• As you go down, potential energy changes into kinetic energy.
• When you reach the bottom, kinetic energy is at its peak just before the wheel starts to go up again, changing kinetic energy back into potential energy.

This process keeps going as the Ferris wheel turns, showing how energy is conserved. The total energy (PE + KE) stays fairly constant, unless things like friction or air resistance slightly take away some energy as heat.

Conclusion
Riding a Ferris wheel is a great way to understand the conservation of energy. It clearly shows how potential and kinetic energy change during the ride. This real-life example makes it easier for students to learn about energy conservation, which is really important in science and engineering.