Curated OER
Rockin Roller Coaster
Students discuss gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and the relationship between potential and kinetic energy. They create a working roller coaster from provided materials and criteria then evaluate each roller coaster. They...
Curated OER
Energy Works!
In this energy worksheet, students review the different types of energy and determine what form of work that energy provides. Then students give examples of how energy is related to work. This worksheet has 1 graphic organizer and 3...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Gravitational Potential Energy
This site defines and explains the concept of gravitational potential energy. Uses many equations and graphics to illustrate the idea. Provides an online computational practice set with immediate feedback.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Elastic Potential Energy
This site from Georgia State University Physics Department defines elastic potential energy and explains its origin. Provides an equation for computing elastic potential energy and an opportunity to practice solving problems with an...
eSchool Today
E School Today: Energy
Explains different kinds of energy, covering kinetic, potential, gravitational, mechanical, sound, thermal, chemical, electrical, and radiant energy. Also looks at storage, transfer, and dissipation of energy. Includes a short...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12 Exploration Series: Simulations: Physics: Heat Engine
[Free Registration/Login Required] Having trouble understanding the energy transfer in heat engines? This simulation allows students to learn about the conversion of heat energy to mechanical energy in the context of heat engine.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Masses & Springs
Hang various mass weights on spring scales while you adjust the spring stiffness and damping in this online activity. Slow down the action, take it to another planet, or watch the amount of potential, thermal, and kinetic energy.
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Mechanics: Energy
Definitions of various forms of energy are presented along with a brief scientific history of energy related concepts.
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Canada Science and Technology Museum: Background Information for Energy
Energy! What do you know about it? Use this terrific site to find out everything about it through a series of Q&As. Educators will find useful lesson plans at the related Teacher's site.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Conservation of Energy
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] In this online tutorial students are asked to demonstrate and apply the law of conservation of energy in one dimension.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Potential Energy and Conservative Forces
In the following interactive students will define conservative force, potential energy, and mechanical energy. They will explain the potential energy of a spring in terms of its compression when Hooke's Law applies. Students will also...
OpenStax
Open Stax: Nonconservative Forces
In the following interactive students will begin to define nonconservative forces and explain how they affect mechanical energy. They will show how the principle of conservation of energy can be applied by treating the conservative...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Bombs Away!
In this hands-on activity students learn create a device to protect a dropped egg and deliver it close to a target. Students learn about engineering as well as potential and kinetic energy and energy transfer
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Move It!
Mechanical energy is the most easily understood form of energy for learners. When there is mechanical energy involved, something moves. Mechanical energy is a very important concept to understand. Engineers need to know what happens when...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: The Work Energy Theorem
This page explores the quantitative relationship between work and mechanical energy in situations in which there are no external forces doing work. It is a basic analysis of situations in which mechanical energy is conserved. Examples...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Potential Energy
This site from Georgia State University Physics Department defines and explains the concept of potential energy. Using equations and graphics to illustrate the idea, it discusses the many types of potential energy (gravitational,...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Kinetic Energy
This site from Georgia State University Physics Department defines kinetic energy and compares and contrasts it with other forms of energy. Provides an equation and links to further, more-detailed information.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Chemical Reactions
This site provides an overview of the role of energy in chemical reactions.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Energy of Motion
By taking a look at the energy of motion all around us, students learn about the types of energy and their characteristics. They first learn about the two simplest forms of mechanical energy: kinetic and potential energy, as illustrated...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Power
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This online tutorial asks students to calculate the mechanical energy of power generated within a physical system.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Forms of Energy
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] In this online lesson students will investigate examples of kinetic and potential energy and their transformations.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Conservation of Energy
This site is from the Physics Department at Georgia State University. The conservation of energy as a fundamental conservation law is presented and compared to other conservation laws (momentum and angular momentum). Links to further...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Conservation of Energy of a Rollercoaster Using High Speed Video
Learners use high speed video to determine whether a roller coaster is an example of a system in which mechanical energy is conserved. The activity is intended to give students experience extracting data from video clips, and using...
FT Exploring
Ft Exploring: What Type of Energy Is It?
How many types of energy are there? Are there many forms of energy, such as electrical, mechanical, and chemical? Or are there really just two types of energy - kinetic energy and potential energy? Here you can learn about these...