Labster 6 - Conservation of Energy: maximize the mechanical energy of a rollercoaster

They are the same as potential energy.

What do you notice about the components that make up the SI unit for kinetic energy?

Highest position

Which position results in the highest amount of potential energy? You can keep playing with the track if you don't know the answer yet

No, because there is motion.

Does the vehicle have zero energy at the bottom of the track?

Mass has no effect on velocity

Which mass of vehicle goes the fastest at the bottom? You can continue playing with the track if you don't know the answer yet.

No, because mass has an effect on kinetic energy

Since these 3 vehicles would all go the same speed at the bottom if released from the same height, would they all possess the same amount of kinetic energy?

Half potential energy and half kinetic energy

In what form should the vehicle's energy be when it is at this point?

Air resistance

Isolated systems maintain the same amount of total energy, even though it may be transformed from one type to another. Which factor below would reduce the total energy of this system over time?

3

You got that right! Now, what formula should you use to calculate the maximum velocity possible if a roller coaster begins at that height?

1. v = (E_^k/m)²

2. v = mgh

3. v = sqrt 2E_k/m

4. v = 2 (Ek +Ep)

All options are correct

How could you prevent this terrible situation from happening?

a. all options are correct

b. decrease the maximum height of the loop

c. add a motor to cotribute initial velocity

increase the starting position height even more

Potential energy at the top of the loop

What do we first need to calculate in order to determine the minimum initial velocity of the roller coaster if it is going to complete this double loop?

From this amount, subtract potential energy at the starting position

Great. The total initial energy of the vehicle needs to be higher than this to make it passed the higher than this to make it passed the highest point of this loop. What is the next step to determine how much additional energy the motor should contribute to the starting position?