The Law of Conservation of Energy tells us that energy can’t be created or destroyed. It can only change into different forms.
A great way to see this is by looking at roller coasters!
When a roller coaster goes up a hill, it gains potential energy. This is the energy it has because it’s high up. We can figure out how much potential energy it has using this simple formula:
Potential Energy (PE) = mass (m) × gravity (g) × height (h)
Here’s what each letter means:
Let’s say we have a roller coaster that weighs 500 kg at the top of a 30-meter hill. We can calculate its potential energy like this:
PE = 500 kg × 9.8 m/s² × 30 m = 147,000 Joules (J)
As the coaster goes down, that potential energy changes into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and we can calculate it using this formula:
Kinetic Energy (KE) = 1/2 × mass (m) × speed² (v²)
When the roller coaster reaches the bottom of the hill, most of the potential energy turns into kinetic energy. This is when the coaster is going the fastest.
If we ignore things like friction and air resistance, the total energy (the sum of potential and kinetic energy) stays the same during the ride.
But in real life, some energy gets lost because of friction and air resistance. This shows that while energy can’t be created or destroyed, it can be changed into different forms.
That’s why roller coasters have those big hills and exciting loops! It makes for a thrilling ride, while also following the rules of energy. Every drop and spin is just a fun way that energy is changing!
The Law of Conservation of Energy tells us that energy can’t be created or destroyed. It can only change into different forms.
A great way to see this is by looking at roller coasters!
When a roller coaster goes up a hill, it gains potential energy. This is the energy it has because it’s high up. We can figure out how much potential energy it has using this simple formula:
Potential Energy (PE) = mass (m) × gravity (g) × height (h)
Here’s what each letter means:
Let’s say we have a roller coaster that weighs 500 kg at the top of a 30-meter hill. We can calculate its potential energy like this:
PE = 500 kg × 9.8 m/s² × 30 m = 147,000 Joules (J)
As the coaster goes down, that potential energy changes into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and we can calculate it using this formula:
Kinetic Energy (KE) = 1/2 × mass (m) × speed² (v²)
When the roller coaster reaches the bottom of the hill, most of the potential energy turns into kinetic energy. This is when the coaster is going the fastest.
If we ignore things like friction and air resistance, the total energy (the sum of potential and kinetic energy) stays the same during the ride.
But in real life, some energy gets lost because of friction and air resistance. This shows that while energy can’t be created or destroyed, it can be changed into different forms.
That’s why roller coasters have those big hills and exciting loops! It makes for a thrilling ride, while also following the rules of energy. Every drop and spin is just a fun way that energy is changing!