Mira's Science Blogs

This is a picture of our rollercoaster design Summary As well as energy transformations, there are a lot of forces acting on a rollercoaster, which affect the motion, speed, and direction of the marble. Gravity and friction also play major roles in the movement of the marble. Gravity is what makes the marble drop at a specific speed. At the top of the roller coaster, the force of gravity continues to pull the marble down. Friction slows down the marble. As the marble travels through the roller coaster, friction is the opposing force that slows down the marble.  The marble has less energy at the end of the roller coaster because some of the energy that it started with may have been transferred to other energy forms. Loops, turns, and hills play a major role in the movement of the marble in the rollercoaster. Thus, the order in which they are placed does affect the outcome. The loop needs the most acceleration and speed to be able to work, and that is most at the beginn...

Kinetic vs. Potential Leadership by Ryan Search and Consulting Summary: We have all heard of energy. But what is the difference between potential and kinetic energy? Potential energy is known as energy that is waiting. It is energy that is stored until it can be converted into a form of kinetic energy. An object has potential energy if it is not in motion, but is above the ground. Types of potential energy include gravitational, chemical, nuclear, elastic, and electric. The equation for potential energy is mgh where 'm' is the mass (typically in kilograms), 'g' is the gravitational acceleration (which would be 9.8 m / s2 at the Earth's surface." Finally, 'h' is the height (typically in meters.) Kinetic energy is energy in motion. This means that if you kick a soccer ball, the energy that was potential when it was not moving is now transferred to kinetic energy when the ball is in motion. An object will have the same the same kinetic energy ...

Types of Energy  by  Solar Schools Summary: You've probably heard the quote by Albert Einstein, "Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another." But what are the forms of energy? There are six general energy forms: chemical, mechanical, thermal, light, electrical, and nuclear. Any form of energy can be converted into another form. There are many examples of energy transformations that happen in our everyday lives. The first energy form is chemical energy. Chemical energy is a form of potential energy and is stored in chemical substances. An example of chemical energy is gasoline that is used to power a car. The next form of energy is mechanical energy. Mechanical energy is energy released by a moving object. For example, mechanical energy is the energy that causes a soccer ball to move when kicked. Another form of energy is thermal energy and is associated with the motion of molecules. This means that it is caused by f...