Introduction

     Do you know what kinetic or potential energy is? In this explanation we will explain to you what they are, and how they came into an experiment we did a few days ago. Energy is another word for power. There are different forms of energy. Kinetic energy and potential energy are two of the forms. Kinetic energy and potential energy connect together because potential energy can change to kinetic energy and kinetic energy can change to potential.

What is potential energy? (Form)

     Potential energy is energy that is stored. Potential energy is an energy that starts a movement of an object (e.g:stretching a rubber band, raising a ball up). When objects fall, it is caused by potential energy because it is raised above ground which will cause it to fall. Potential energy is the start of kinetic energy. Objects can gain potential energy by placing the object in a place where it can fall or where gravity can affect it. It can get  more potential energy by kinetic energy or by lifting the object higher.

How did potential energy factor into an experiment? (Function)

     The grade 4/5 class of room 37 have been doing experiments with potential energy. One of them includes a tennis ball that is dropped from different heights. First, when the ball gets lifted, it gains potential energy. If the ball gets lifted higher, it gets more potential energy.Then, when it drops and hits  the ground, it compresses because of the speed it gained and that gives it potential energy. Also, there was another experiment where two different balls were dropped down a tube and they tried to push down a nail. The higher the tube is, the more the nail  goes down because the ball gains more potential energy... Therefore, since the metal ball is heavier than the glass ball, it will go down faster and push the nail farther into the wood frame.

What is kinetic energy? (Form)

     Have you ever wondered what another word for a moving object is? Another word for motion is kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy in a moving object, for example when you pull a rubber band back it expands and then gets bigger, and then when you let go it has so much potential energy that it will fly right off your finger and gain kinetic energy. That happened because the rubber band has a lot of potential energy so it will fly through the air and gain kinetic energy. Kinetic energy can turn into potential energy, and potential to kinetic.That is what kinetic energy is!

How did kinetic energy factor into an experiment? (Function)

     A few days ago our class did an experiment on kinetic energy. A way kinetic energy was  involved in the experiment, is when the ball dropped, it had kinetic energy. We used a 60 cm tube at one point, when the metal ball dropped it had more kinetic energy, because it was more heavier than the plastic ball.  Therefore the nail got pushed deeper. Then we used the 31 cm tube, since the tube is shorter there is less kinetic energy, so there less force of pushing it down thats how kinetic energy came into our experiment.

How do potential and kinetic energy impact our world? (Connection and Causation)

     In our world there are many different things that have kinetic and potential energy and potential energy can turn into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy can turn into potential energy . Without potential and kinetic energy we would not move. Also ball games wouldn’t exist in the world. For example if you stretch a rubber band you're giving it potential energy. When you release it your are giving it kinetic energy. Moving an skateboards involves kinetic energy. Any ball games we play have potential and kinetic energy.

Conclusion (Reflection)

     Now the meaning of potential and kinetic energy should be clear. Kinetic is when things move and they are transferred from potential into kinetic. Potential is when an object has the ability to move but it is storing the energy and waiting to be turned into kinetic energy. These are two types of energy that are used in everyday life. Actually,we are all using kinetic and potential energy right now as we type. These are fascinating types of energy that we couldn’t live without.

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