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Energy Skate Park: Conservation Lab
Inspired by PhET Interactive Simulations. Observe kinetic and potential energy trade off in real time.
📊 Live Energy Telemetry
Kinetic (KE)0 J
Potential (PE)2552 J
Total Energy (E):2552 J
At the top of the ramp, velocity is zero and energy is 100% potential. At the bottom, height is zero and energy is 100% kinetic!
Skater Mass (m)60 kg
Celestial Gravity9.81 m/s²
Track FrictionZero Friction
Adaptive Cognitive Explanations
Tailored for Student Comprehension Level
Aligned Curricula:🇬🇧 Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9)🇺🇸 Middle School (NGSS MS-PS2 and MS-PS3)🇨🇦 Grades 7 and 8 STEM🇳🇬 Junior Secondary JSS 1 to 3
Focus: Proportional reasoning, metric units, and foundational single-variable formulas
Conservation of Mechanical Energy: Potential vs Kinetic Energy
Mechanical energy in an isolated system is conserved. Gravitational potential energy (PE = mgh) converts into kinetic energy (KE = 0.5 · m · v²) as height decreases.
Why this happens:At maximum height h, speed is zero, so total energy equals mgh. At the bottom where height is zero, potential energy is zero and kinetic energy reaches its maximum. When friction is zero, maximum velocity at the trough equals the square root of (2 · g · h), which is independent of skater mass. With friction active, mechanical energy dissipates irreversibly into thermal energy via work done against friction.
Governing Equation:E_total = PE + KE = m·g·h + ½·m·v² = Constant
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Try this experiment now:Adjust the Mass slider from 20kg to 120kg. Notice that while total Joules increase proportionally with mass, the maximum velocity attained at the bottom of the ramp remains identical.