Energy Transfers and Transformations

To investigate energy transfers and transformations, it took much searching to find suitable online links. I have listed four websites I found that will be very useful when introducing this topic to my eighth grade students.

Energy Skate Park - This is a PhET simulation that allows students to manipulate a skater on a half-pipe. Students are able to observe the energy transfer between potential and kinetic energy.

Energy in a Roller Coaster - Again, a great simulation to observe the transition between kinetic and potential energy in roller coaster. The drawback with this site is that is member-based and only allows seven views before having to pay.

The Science of Snowboarding - An amazing site put together by NBC and the National Science Foundation to observe the science behind the Olympic games. There are several videos available for many sports. Also, I found videos that link NFL football with Newtons Three Laws. Those can be found here. Talk about a perfect way to spark student interest!! :)

Building the Basic PVC Wind Turbine - This was the best find!! It is an inquiry-based investigation into wind turbines. Students create blades for the turbine and then test them in terms of the amount of electricity produced. The great part is that the directions for building the base are easy and the materials needed are readily available. This is an investigation I will be doing with my students.

Heat Transfers

While completing my experiment for this week, I decided to test the following materials: plastic wrap, aluminum foil, cotton, and wool. I discovered that the wool held in the heat of the water the best followed by the cotton. To my surprise, the change in temperature with the foil was only 1.5 degrees Celsius lower than the wool sock. I came to understand that the foil created an air tight seal around the cup to lock in the hot air, but as a conductor allowed the heat to move through it easily. The wool on the other hand, is a great insulator but because it is a porous material, allowed the warm air to escape. If I were to repeat this experiment, I would combine the foil and wool together and predict a greater heat retention.

If I were to complete this activity in my class, I would integrate technology in the use of temperature probes. The probes would allow students to track the heat transfer throughout the 30 minute period. Also, it would be interesting to see if the heat loss is constant or greater at a specific point. Heat transfers are a concept I cover with my sixth graders and I look forward to incorporating many of the ideas from this week's resources into my classroom.