Graphing Energy Conversions

All Energy is the ability to do work – we just have different clues to keep track of!

• Gravitational PE– Height above ground

• Elastic PE– Stretching or Compression

• Chemical PE– Food (not yet eaten)– Gasoline (not yet burned)– Battery (not yet used)

Gravitational PE Any time an object has height

above a reference point. Can have Kinetic Energy at the

same time.

Let’s look at it in action! PE & KE

Before it drops, 6 meters high

EG EK0

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Energy Tracker

Energy Tracker

Dropping, at 5 meters

EG EK0

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Energy Tracker

Energy Tracker

Dropping, at 3 meters

EG EK0

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Energy Tracker

Energy Tracker

Dropping, at 1 meter

EG EK0

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Energy Tracker

Energy Tracker

Right before it hits the ground

EG EK0

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Energy Tracker

Energy Tracker

Practice: Graph the Energy in the Rubber Band at these 3 points in time

1. Lamar stretches a rubber band and points it at Ms. Nicholson.

2. He lets go and it launches through the air.3. His aim is bad and it misses Ms. Nicholson

and falls on the floor. (Graph the energy RIGHT BEFORE it hits the floor!)

1. Lamar stretches a rubber band and points it at Ms. Nicholson.

EE EG EK02468

101214161820

Energy Tracker

Energy Tracker

2. He lets go and it launches through the air.

EE EG EK02468

101214161820

Energy Tracker

Energy Tracker

3. His aim is bad and it misses Ms. Nicholson and falls on the floor. (Graph the energy

RIGHT BEFORE it hits the floor!)

EE EG EK02468

101214161820

Energy Tracker

Energy Tracker