Energy
Energy 15: Improving Home Energy Efficiency
Students obtain more information about factors that can affect energy use in the home. They apply their understanding of energy transfer and energy transformation to develop a home energy efficiency plan to use less energy. They use their knowledge of energy concepts and an economic analysis to make energy-saving recommendations that meet the needs of families in fictional scenarios. Their analyses calculate the time it takes for energy improvements to pay for themselves and the savings over 10 years. Students present the trade-offs of their home energy efficiency plans in their recommendations.
Energy 14: Hot Bulbs
Students apply their understanding of the concepts of energy transfer and transformation to compare the efficiencies of two different types of light bulbs. They do so by measuring the amount of thermal energy produced by the two bulbs, applying the law of conservation of energy, and calculating how much of the electrical energy supplied was converted into light energy. They use their measurements to calculate the efficiency of the bulbs to produce light by measuring how much “wasted” energy is “lost” in the unwanted production of thermal energy. They also compare “lifetime” costs for different types of bulbs. Finally, students consider the trade-offs involved when deciding which type of bulb to purchase.
Energy 13: Maximizing Solar Energy Transfer
From the previous two activities, students should now have a better understanding of how solar energy is transferred from the sun to Earth and that different materials absorb, reflect, or transmit this energy in different proportions. In this activity, students design, build, test, and optimize a device to maximize thermal energy transfer: a solar oven. The success of their devices is determined by how well students apply what they have learned about thermal energy transfer and how well students are able to redesign the devices based on performance evaluations in early tests. Students present their final designs to the class and use their results to explain their design process.
Energy 12: Conduction, Convection, and Radiation
This reading formally introduces students to the three types of thermal energy transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. This knowledge enables students to be able to look at a system and understand how thermal energy enters or exits that system through these different methods of energy transfer, thus reinforcing the idea that when energy is transferred, it can be transferred out of the observed system into a larger system. The Listen, Stop, and Write literacy strategy helps students comprehend the ideas presented in the text. The video below form Crash Course Engineering provides students with additional information about conduction, convection and radiation.
Energy 11: Energy in Light
Students measure, compare, and analyze the temperature change experienced by different materials when exposed to the same amount of sunlight. Students investigate the behavior of electromagnetic energy when it hits a surface. They see that the energy can be transmitted, reflected, and absorbed. By conducting an investigation they find that shiny surfaces reflect much of the energy while dark surfaces absorb, transforming some of the light energy into thermal energy. On day 2, students used Google Sheets to graph their temperature change data, and looks for patterns when analyzing and interpreting their data.
Energy 10: Energy Transfer Challenge
Students explore thermal energy transfer (heat) by coming up with, designing, and testing one process and structure to melt as much ice as possible and another to allow as little ice to melt. They then use the data collected to compare and analyze the effectiveness of their designs and analyze variables that affect the transfer of thermal energy.
Energy 9: Energy Across the Sciences
Students obtain information from text about how scientists in several different disciplines use their understanding of energy to explain scientific phenomena. They read about energy transfers and transformations in examples from the life sciences, earth sciences, and physical sciences. In doing so, students develop an understanding of the crosscutting nature of energy. Students communicate their understanding about the universal nature of energy to others.
Energy 8: Thermal Energy Storage
Students apply their understanding of energy transfer to plan and carry out an investigation to determine the factors that influence the change in temperature of cold water when a hot object is immersed in it. Their investigations will determine the relationship between the mass, type of material, and temperature change when substances at different initial temperatures are combined.
Energy 7: Mixing Hot and Cold Water
Students conduct an investigation on thermal energy transfer in water, documenting this transfer by measuring temperature changes. Students investigate thermal energy transfer between water samples of different volumes and temperatures. To start, students predict the results of mixing water samples of different temperatures. They then test their predictions through experimental measurement of the temperatures of the mixtures as they reach thermal equilibrium. Lastly, students explain their results by applying their understanding of thermal energy transfer. They observe the effects of thermal energy being spontaneously transferred from a hot region into a cold one until thermal equilibrium is reached. Students analyze and interpret the data that they collect as they explain the relationship between changes in temperature and thermal energy transfer.
Energy 6: Follow the Energy
Students explore many types of energy transformations and transfers that people encounter regularly in their everyday lives. The ubiquity of energy transfers and transformations reinforces the crosscutting nature of energy. Students continue to explore the consequences of the law of conservation of energy by analyzing specific energy transfers and transformations. Students focus on different energy types through examples of transformations that either absorb or release energy. Students then present arguments that a change in the kinetic energy of an object results in an energy transfer either to or from that object.
Energy 5: Conservation of Energy
Students obtain information from a reading on the behavior of energy. In particular, they develop an initial understanding of the conservation of energy during energy transformations. They learn that almost all energy transformations involve the process of heating, in which some energy is transformed to thermal energy. People usually consider this energy as “lost” since it is often no longer useful to them. Students develop arguments to explain that energy cannot be “lost” during energy transformations, arguments that are informed by their growing understanding of systems and system models. SThe reading introduces students to the idea of efficiency in a transformation. They apply this understanding to the topic of energy efficiency, and use the information to inform their home energy efficiency plans.
Energy 4: Shake the Shot
Students continue their exploration of energy transformation and transfer by analyzing and interpreting data from an investigation. This investigation involves transferring kinetic energy from a moving arm to moving metal pellets and then transforming that energy into thermal energy in the metal pellets inside the container. Students measure the rise in temperature of the metal pellets as evidence of a transformation of kinetic energy to thermal energy. The investigation introduces the relationships between motion, temperature, and thermal energy.
Energy 3: Roller Coaster Energy
Students expand on their understanding of energy transfer and transformations by exploring what is happening to energy during a roller coaster ride. Students use a model to help them explain the repeated transformations of gravitational potential and kinetic energy along the ride, and the transfer of kinetic energy from the roller coaster cars to thermal energy and sound in the tracks. Check out the websites below to learn more.
Roller Coaster Model Interactive
At this site you can create your own roller coaster and observe energy transformations as the roller coaster travels along the track.
At this site you can participate in a short project to create your own roller coaster. Then you can have it evaluated for "safety" and "fun" scores.
Learn about conservation of energy with a skater gal! Explore different tracks and view the kinetic energy, potential energy and friction as she moves. Build your own tracks, ramps, and jumps for the skater.
Energy 2: Drive a Nail
Students learn that there are two basic types of energy: kinetic and potential. Students plan and carry out an investigation to examine the relationship between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy of motion. They analyze and interpret the data to quantify the transfer of energy from a falling object (metal cylinder) to a stationary object (nail). They expand on their understanding of energy efficiency by considering whether all of the gravitational potential energy has been transferred to the nail. Continuing students were able to introduce the ideas of controlling variables, reproducibility and good experimental design to the incoming students.
Data from Part A:
Energy 1: Home Energy Use
To begin the Energy unit, students develop a "Driving Question Board" and generate questions they have about energy, that they will revisit and refine throughout the unit. Students then brainstorm the uses of energy in the home and become aware of everyday energy consumption. Students begin exploring concepts about energy transfer by analyzing qualitative data on energy use in two hypothetical homes in different environments. They consider how certain features of a home may cause the homeowner to use more or less energy. This introduces them to the idea of energy efficiency. They begin tracking their understanding about energy transfer and developing a plan to increase home energy efficiency. Students then develop an operational definition of energy efficiency. They will finalize and present that plan in the final activity in this unit.
