1. Review/Discuss your Kinetic Energy Calculations
A. What data do you need to calculate the Kinetic Energy in a moving object?
B. What needs more kinetic energy: A running person or a running cheetah (m = 47 kg, v = 31 m/s)? Why?
C. What needs more kinetic energy: a moving Polar bear (m = 500 kg, v = 11 m/s) or a moving person? Why?
D. Why is the KE value of your car so low?
E. According to the equation KE = 1/2 M X V squared, which will affect the Kinetic energy more: adding mass or velocity? Why?
2. Discuss the EFFICIENCY of your car
Do you get out what you put in?
Energy Out/Energy In
A. Do you think the Kinetic Energy you calculated equals the amount of potential energy you put into the balloon?
B. What things are LIMITING the movement of your car?
C. View the following simulation on friction. Describe what happens when you move an object across another.
In an open system, you will never get out everything you put in. Energy will be lost to the environment until you stop.
3. How can you improve the potential energy going into your car? Remember, increasing the speed of the car will have a bigger impact on the kinetic energy than the mass. Discuss the following factors. You will make 1 improvement to the energy going into your car. There is no limit to the materials, but you must provide them.
A. Air - Amount of air, # of balloons, size of balloons, direction of air, size of straw, length of straw, etc.
B. Friction - wheel shape, wheel size, wheel smoothness, wheel spinning