To Do:
- Place the ramps and chutes on the metal wall.
- Try to create a pathway towards a specific endpoint.
- Place a ball at the top of your pathway and let go.
- Observe where it rolls.
- Experiment a bit to modify your pathway.
Explanation:
Energy is the ability to do work. When the ball is at rest, before it starts to roll, it has what is called potential energy. Once the ball is in motion, it has kinetic energy.
Application:
Roller coasters maximize energy using gravity. Coaster cars have potential energy at the top of a hill. Gravity pulls the cars down. The energy changes to kinetic energy so it goes up the next hill.
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