Question

1. based on your observations, what do you think is the relationship between kinetic and potential energy?

1. what did you observe in the simulation that supports and provides evidence to your answer on #4?

1. observe the total amount of energy as the potential and kinetic energy changes. what do you notice?

1. what claim can you make about the total amount of energy? explain your thinking.

Explanation:

For the table (Skater’s Position, Potential and Kinetic Energy):

• At the highest point on the track, the skater has maximum potential energy (due to height, using \( PE = mgh \)) and minimum kinetic energy (speed is lowest, \( KE=\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}\), so speed ~0 means KE ~0).
• At the lowest point on the track, the skater has minimum potential energy (height ~0, so \( PE \approx 0 \)) and maximum kinetic energy (speed is highest here).

For question 4 (Relationship between KE and PE):
Kinetic and potential energy are interconvertible. As one increases, the other decreases, and their sum (total mechanical energy, ignoring non - conservative forces like friction) remains approximately constant. This is based on the principle of conservation of mechanical energy (\( ME=KE + PE \), and if \( W_{nc}=0 \), \( \Delta ME = 0 \)).

For question 5 (Evidence from simulation):
In the simulation, when the skater moves from the highest point to the lowest point, we observe the potential energy bar (or value) decreasing while the kinetic energy bar (or value) increasing. Conversely, when moving from the lowest to the highest point, kinetic energy decreases and potential energy increases. This shows the transfer between the two forms of energy.

For question 6 (Total energy observation):
As the potential and kinetic energy change, the total amount of energy (sum of KE and PE) remains relatively constant (assuming a frictionless track in the idealized simulation). Any small changes might be due to experimental or simulation - related approximations, but the overall trend is that total energy is conserved.

For question 7 (Claim about total energy):
The total amount of mechanical energy (kinetic + potential) in the system (skater - Earth, considering gravitational potential energy) remains constant when non - conservative forces (like friction) are negligible. This is the law of conservation of mechanical energy, which states that in a closed system with only conservative forces doing work, the total mechanical energy is conserved.

Answer:

Table (Skater’s Position, Potential and Kinetic Energy)

• Highest point on the track: Amount of Potential Energy - High (Maximum); Amount of Kinetic Energy - Low (Minimum)
• Lowest point on the track: Amount of Potential Energy - Low (Minimum); Amount of Kinetic Energy - High (Maximum)

Question 4

Kinetic and potential energy are interconvertible; as one increases, the other decreases, and their sum (total mechanical energy) is approximately constant (ignoring non - conservative forces).

Question 5

When the skater moves from the highest to the lowest point, potential energy decreases and kinetic energy increases, and vice - versa. This transfer of energy values (seen in the simulation's energy bars/values) supports the interconversion.

Question 6

The total amount of energy (sum of kinetic and potential energy) remains relatively constant as the skater moves along the track (in an ideal, frictionless simulation).

Question 7

The total mechanical energy (kinetic + potential) of the skater - Earth system is conserved when non - conservative forces (like friction) are negligible. This means the total amount of energy in the system remains constant as energy is transferred between kinetic and potential forms.