Science- Week 9

The Law of Conservation of Energy

This week in Science I talked to the children about The Law of Conservation of Energy. I pointed out to them that "conserve" sounds like "preserve" and that energy cannot be created or destroyed, therefore being "preserved". I also showed them an example of potential and kinetic energy. (Hold a ball- potential. Drop the ball- kinetic)

We also talked about two scientific statements. 

1. Potential energy increases when the height of an object increases.

To see if the statement is true, we made a ramp and dropped a ball down the ramp. We marked the spot where it stopped. Then we increased the height of the ramp, and compare the stopping point of the ball. It did indeed go further because of the increase in potential energy. 

2. Kinetic energy increases as the mass of an object increases. 

To test this statement, we released a golf ball and a styrofoam ball down the ramp at the same time and the golf ball went much faster and further than the styrofoam ball, proving that this statement was also true.