In amusement parks, the rides are all about energy changes that make them exciting! The two main types of energy at play are gravitational potential energy (GPE) and kinetic energy (KE).

1. Roller Coasters:

   • When a roller coaster is at its highest point, it has lots of gravitational potential energy. You can figure out how much using the formula: GPE = mgh. Here, m is the mass of the coaster, g is the pull of gravity (about 9.8 m/s²), and h is the height.
   • As the roller coaster goes down, the GPE changes into kinetic energy. At the bottom, it moves the fastest, and you can find out how much KE it has with this formula: KE = 1/2 mv².

2. Pendulum Rides:

   • In a pendulum ride, it also starts with GPE when it’s at the top. As it swings down, the GPE turns into KE until it gets to the lowest point.

In both of these rides, energy is conserved, which means it doesn’t disappear. At the highest point of the ride, GPE is at its highest and KE is at its lowest. This shows how energy moves around in these fun rides!