Question
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation linked above. Respond to the questions and prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, weight, work
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. Look at divers A and B in the picture at left. Which diver had to put the most effort into climbing to the top of his board? Explain.
Diver A because of how high they are
2. Which diver do you think will make the biggest splash? Explain.
Gizmo Warm-up
It takes energy to climb up to the top of a diving board, and of course a diver that leaps off the board and makes a big splash in the water also has a lot of energy. But how much energy does a diver have while he is standing at the top of the diving board?
Even at the top of the board, the diver has energy—a type of energy called potential energy. Potential energy is the energy an object has because of its position or shape. Using the Potential Energy on Shelves Gizmo, you will discover how gravity gives objects potential energy because of their position above the floor.
1. Which object on the SIMULATION pane most likely has the least potential energy? Why?
2. Click on the TABLE tab. The potential energy (PE) of each object is given in joules (J).
List the objects in order from lowest to highest potential energies.
Activity A:
Factors affecting GPE Get the Gizmo ready:
● Select the BAR CHART tab and turn on Show numerical values.
Introduction: Because gravity pulls objects down to Earth’s surface, objects lifted above Earth’s surface have a type of potential energy called gravitational potential energy, or GPE.
Question: What factors affect how much gravitational potential energy an object has?
1. Identify: Highlight the factors below that you think affect an object’s potential energy.
mass vertical position velocity horizontal position
2. Observe: Drag the ball to the 1-m shelf on the SIMULATION pane.
A. What is the ball’s potential energy (PE)?
B. Move the ball to the 2-m shelf. What is its potential energy now?
C. What do you think the ball’s potential energy will be on the 3-m shelf? The 4-m shelf?
PE on 3-m shelf: PE on 4-m shelf:
Use the Gizmo to check your answers. (Click the control on the bar graph to zoom out.)
3. Summarize: What is the relationship between an object’s height above the ground and its gravitational potential energy?
4. Describe: Move the ball from side to side (left to right) while trying to keep it at the same height. How does changing the horizontal position of the ball affect its potential energy?
5. Infer: Place the ball and the paper on the same shelf.
A. Which object has more potential energy?
B. Why do you think their potential energies are different?
6. Identify: What two factors affect how much gravitational potential energy an object has?
Vocabulary: gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, weight, work
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. Look at divers A and B in the picture at left. Which diver had to put the most effort into climbing to the top of his board? Explain.
Diver A because of how high they are
2. Which diver do you think will make the biggest splash? Explain.
Gizmo Warm-up
It takes energy to climb up to the top of a diving board, and of course a diver that leaps off the board and makes a big splash in the water also has a lot of energy. But how much energy does a diver have while he is standing at the top of the diving board?
Even at the top of the board, the diver has energy—a type of energy called potential energy. Potential energy is the energy an object has because of its position or shape. Using the Potential Energy on Shelves Gizmo, you will discover how gravity gives objects potential energy because of their position above the floor.
1. Which object on the SIMULATION pane most likely has the least potential energy? Why?
2. Click on the TABLE tab. The potential energy (PE) of each object is given in joules (J).
List the objects in order from lowest to highest potential energies.
Activity A:
Factors affecting GPE Get the Gizmo ready:
● Select the BAR CHART tab and turn on Show numerical values.
Introduction: Because gravity pulls objects down to Earth’s surface, objects lifted above Earth’s surface have a type of potential energy called gravitational potential energy, or GPE.
Question: What factors affect how much gravitational potential energy an object has?
1. Identify: Highlight the factors below that you think affect an object’s potential energy.
mass vertical position velocity horizontal position
2. Observe: Drag the ball to the 1-m shelf on the SIMULATION pane.
A. What is the ball’s potential energy (PE)?
B. Move the ball to the 2-m shelf. What is its potential energy now?
C. What do you think the ball’s potential energy will be on the 3-m shelf? The 4-m shelf?
PE on 3-m shelf: PE on 4-m shelf:
Use the Gizmo to check your answers. (Click the control on the bar graph to zoom out.)
3. Summarize: What is the relationship between an object’s height above the ground and its gravitational potential energy?
4. Describe: Move the ball from side to side (left to right) while trying to keep it at the same height. How does changing the horizontal position of the ball affect its potential energy?
5. Infer: Place the ball and the paper on the same shelf.
A. Which object has more potential energy?
B. Why do you think their potential energies are different?
6. Identify: What two factors affect how much gravitational potential energy an object has?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
### Prior Knowledge Questions
1. **Look at divers A and B in the picture at left. Which diver had to put the most effort into climbing to the top of his board? Explain.**
- **Answer:** Diver A had to put the most effort into climbing to the top of his board because he is at a greater height than Diver B. The higher an object is, the more work is required to lift it against gravity.
2. **Which diver do you think will make the biggest splash? Explain.**
- **Answer:** Diver A will likely make the biggest splash because he has a greater height from which to jump, which means he will have more gravitational potential energy that is converted to kinetic energy upon diving into the water.
### Gizmo Warm-up
1. **Which object on the SIMULATION pane most likely has the least potential energy? Why?**
- **Answer:** The object sitting closest to the ground likely has the least potential energy because potential energy is based on an object's height above the ground. The lower the object, the less gravitational potential energy it has.
2. **Click on the TABLE tab. The potential energy (PE) of each object is given in joules (J). List the objects in order from lowest to highest potential energies.**
- **Answer:** (Note: As I don’t have access to the Gizmo, please check the values given in the simulation to complete this part. A possible example order might be: Object D, Object C, Object B, Object A from lowest to highest based on their respective heights.)
### Activity A: Factors Affecting GPE
1. **Identify: Highlight the factors below that you think affect an object’s potential energy.**
- **Factors:** mass, vertical position (the height), velocity, horizontal position
- **Highlighted Factors:** mass, vertical position
2. **Observe:**
- A. **What is the ball’s potential energy (PE) at the 1-m shelf?**
- **Answer:** (Fill in the value shown in the simulation.)
- B. **Move the ball to the 2-m shelf. What is its potential energy now?**
- **Answer:** (Fill in the value shown in the simulation.)
- C. **What do you think the ball’s potential energy will be on the 3-m shelf? The 4-m shelf?**
- PE on 3-m shelf: (Estimate or provide based on pattern)
- PE on 4-m shelf: (Estimate or provide based on pattern)
3. **Summarize: What is the relationship between an object’s height above the ground and its gravitational potential energy?**
- **Answer:** The relationship is direct; as an object's height above the ground increases, its gravitational potential energy also increases. This is because potential energy is greater the higher an object is situated.
4. **Describe: Move the ball from side to side (left to right) while trying to keep it at the same height. How does changing the horizontal position of the ball affect its potential energy?**
- **Answer:** Changing the horizontal position of the ball does not affect its potential energy when the height remains constant. Potential energy is only influenced by the vertical position (height) and mass of the object.
5. **Infer: Place the ball and the paper on the same shelf.**
- A. **Which object has more potential energy?**
- **Answer:** The ball has more potential energy than the paper if they are on the same height shelf because the ball likely has greater mass.
- B. **Why do you think their potential energies are different?**
- **Answer:** The potential energy differs because gravitational potential energy depends on both mass and height above the ground; the ball has a greater mass.
6. **Identify: What two factors affect how much gravitational potential energy an object has?**
- **Answer:** The two factors that affect gravitational potential energy are the object's mass and its height above the ground.
1. **Look at divers A and B in the picture at left. Which diver had to put the most effort into climbing to the top of his board? Explain.**
- **Answer:** Diver A had to put the most effort into climbing to the top of his board because he is at a greater height than Diver B. The higher an object is, the more work is required to lift it against gravity.
2. **Which diver do you think will make the biggest splash? Explain.**
- **Answer:** Diver A will likely make the biggest splash because he has a greater height from which to jump, which means he will have more gravitational potential energy that is converted to kinetic energy upon diving into the water.
### Gizmo Warm-up
1. **Which object on the SIMULATION pane most likely has the least potential energy? Why?**
- **Answer:** The object sitting closest to the ground likely has the least potential energy because potential energy is based on an object's height above the ground. The lower the object, the less gravitational potential energy it has.
2. **Click on the TABLE tab. The potential energy (PE) of each object is given in joules (J). List the objects in order from lowest to highest potential energies.**
- **Answer:** (Note: As I don’t have access to the Gizmo, please check the values given in the simulation to complete this part. A possible example order might be: Object D, Object C, Object B, Object A from lowest to highest based on their respective heights.)
### Activity A: Factors Affecting GPE
1. **Identify: Highlight the factors below that you think affect an object’s potential energy.**
- **Factors:** mass, vertical position (the height), velocity, horizontal position
- **Highlighted Factors:** mass, vertical position
2. **Observe:**
- A. **What is the ball’s potential energy (PE) at the 1-m shelf?**
- **Answer:** (Fill in the value shown in the simulation.)
- B. **Move the ball to the 2-m shelf. What is its potential energy now?**
- **Answer:** (Fill in the value shown in the simulation.)
- C. **What do you think the ball’s potential energy will be on the 3-m shelf? The 4-m shelf?**
- PE on 3-m shelf: (Estimate or provide based on pattern)
- PE on 4-m shelf: (Estimate or provide based on pattern)
3. **Summarize: What is the relationship between an object’s height above the ground and its gravitational potential energy?**
- **Answer:** The relationship is direct; as an object's height above the ground increases, its gravitational potential energy also increases. This is because potential energy is greater the higher an object is situated.
4. **Describe: Move the ball from side to side (left to right) while trying to keep it at the same height. How does changing the horizontal position of the ball affect its potential energy?**
- **Answer:** Changing the horizontal position of the ball does not affect its potential energy when the height remains constant. Potential energy is only influenced by the vertical position (height) and mass of the object.
5. **Infer: Place the ball and the paper on the same shelf.**
- A. **Which object has more potential energy?**
- **Answer:** The ball has more potential energy than the paper if they are on the same height shelf because the ball likely has greater mass.
- B. **Why do you think their potential energies are different?**
- **Answer:** The potential energy differs because gravitational potential energy depends on both mass and height above the ground; the ball has a greater mass.
6. **Identify: What two factors affect how much gravitational potential energy an object has?**
- **Answer:** The two factors that affect gravitational potential energy are the object's mass and its height above the ground.