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Potential Energy Teacher Resources
Find teacher approved Potential Energy educational resource ideas and activities
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Your introductory physical science class will be energized by this PowerPoint. They will be able to define energy, work, and power. They will be able to perform calculations for kinetic and potential energy. They will be able to describe the various simple machines and forms of energy. Truly, this selection of 71 slides can serve as a note-taking guide for several lessons on energy and work. Make sure to break it up with hands-on experience using simple machines and pendulums.
Young scholars calculate the elastic potential energy and spring constant of unknown materials. For this physics lesson, students rank the unknown materials from the least elastic to the most elastic. They explore elasticity further using an online virtual lab.
Students discover the effect of height and weight on potential energy. In this potential energy lesson, students engage in several mini-experiments where they explore this relationship. Each activity has various ways to identify the two factors that effect potential energy.
Learners explain how force and work is related. In this physics lesson, students give examples of energy transformation that takes place in their daily lives. They perform mathematical calculations on energy and forces.
You will need to prepare either a class set or a single demonstration catapult in order to teach this powerful lesson on kinetic and potential energy. Activity sheets are provided to walk learners through the construction of a catapult. If you choose to teach via demonstration, you can jump straight to Activity Sheet 3, on which is a data table for recording distances. Different features of the catapult are varied for comparison. A vocabulary list and challenge questions are provided.
In this kinetic and potential energy worksheet, students read for information and evaluate comprehension. In this multiple choice and fill in the blanks worksheet, students answer fifteen questions.
This variation of a pendulum allows the bob to keep moving as the pendulum hits a crossbar. Lab groups experiment with the release height and compare the horizontal distance from the crossbar in order to learn about kinetic and potential energy. Data tables are provided for recording results, which individuals create a graph for when they are finished. This classic activity is appropriate for junior high or beginning high school physical science classes.
As an introduction to the concept of energy, this interesting and informative resource would be a terrific addition to a unit. Although there is quite a bit of information presented about kinetic energy, potential energy, and related topics, the slides lay out the facts in such a way that it is easy to understand. This resource could be used as both an introduction to the topic, and a review after a unit was completed.
Pulling a wooden block up an inclined plane with a spring scale, physics pros experience the conservation of energy. They record their findings at different incline angles, and use them to compute the forces in action, work done, and potential energy values. The lab sheet is neatly formatted and user-friendly.
Students examine energy sources. In this kinetic and potential energy lesson, students conduct investigations to show how toys produce the two types of energy. Students also draw a picture of a skateboarder and label the examples of kinetic and potential energy.