This set of 35 "clicker" questions (with answer key) was developed by a high school teacher specifically for use with the PhET Energy Skate Park simulation. It may be freely downloaded as a pdf file or as a Power Point document to enable teachers to sort and customize. Multiple screenshots and illustrations help students visualize changing kinetic/potential energy levels in a variety of situations. Student responses can be used to gauge understanding of conservation of energy.
Editor's Note: Middle school teachers may choose to skip Slides 20-35, as they pertain more to an introductory Physics course.
This item is part of a larger collection of resources developed by the Physics Education Technology project (PhET) at the University of Colorado.
6-8: 4E/M2. Energy can be transferred from one system to another (or from a system to its environment) in different ways: 1) thermally, when a warmer object is in contact with a cooler one; 2) mechanically, when two objects push or pull on each other over a distance; 3) electrically, when an electrical source such as a battery or generator is connected in a complete circuit to an electrical device; or 4) by electromagnetic waves.
6-8: 4E/M4. Energy appears in different forms and can be transformed within a system. Motion energy is associated with the speed of an object. Thermal energy is associated with the temperature of an object. Gravitational energy is associated with the height of an object above a reference point. Elastic energy is associated with the stretching or compressing of an elastic object. Chemical energy is associated with the composition of a substance. Electrical energy is associated with an electric current in a circuit. Light energy is associated with the frequency of electromagnetic waves.
9-12: 4E/H1. Although the various forms of energy appear very different, each can be measured in a way that makes it possible to keep track of how much of one form is converted into another. Whenever the amount of energy in one place diminishes, the amount in other places or forms increases by the same amount.
9-12: 4E/H9. Many forms of energy can be considered to be either kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion, or potential energy, which depends on the separation between mutually attracting or repelling objects.
Units (1)
This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.
Topic: Conservation of Energy Unit Title: Conservation of Energy
This set of 35 clicker questions (with answer key) was developed by PhET Gold Star teacher Trish Loeblein for use in the high school classroom with the Energy Skate Park simulation. You can download it as a pdf or as a Power Point file with answer key. It is designed to elicit student understanding of three key things: 1) Relationship of kinetic and potential energy in a mechanical system, 2) Conservation of energy conservation in a system both with and without friction (adding friction introduces the concept of thermal energy), and 3) Relationship of the skater's mass, speed, and track configuration.
Loeblein, T. (2006, March 3). PhET Teacher Ideas & Activities: Energy Skate Park Clicker Questions. Retrieved April 5, 2025, from PhET: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/activities/3016
%0 Electronic Source %A Loeblein, Trish %D March 3, 2006 %T PhET Teacher Ideas & Activities: Energy Skate Park Clicker Questions %I PhET %V 2025 %N 5 April 2025 %8 March 3, 2006 %9 application/ms-powerpoint %U https://phet.colorado.edu/en/activities/3016
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