Lesson Plan

1. Explore the kinetic energy store

KS4-18-01

Intent

Lesson Outcomes

  • Recall the equation to calculate kinetic energy
  • Use the equation to calculate the kinetic energy
  • Change the subject of an equation to calculate mass or velocity
  • Change units and quote answers to a given number of significant figures

National Curriculum

  • Energy changes in a system involving heating, doing work using forces, or doing work using an electric current
  • Calculating the stored energies and energy changes involved

Working Scientifically

  • Use an appropriate number of significant figures in calculation
  • Interconvert units

Resources

Resources: Class presentation and handout.

Handout: Use the kinetic energy equation to calculate energy. Change the subject of the kinetic energy to calculate mass and velocity. Identify stores of energy.

Rocket words

  • kilojoule
  • joule
  • kilometre
  • substitute
  • kinetic

Implementation

Starter

Lewis Matheson, a former Head of Science, explains the 5 most common forms of energy stores. Write them down and focus discussion towards movement and its relationship to stationary stored energy.

Main Teaching

Use the handout as the activity for the lesson. The students have 4 equations to resolve that increase with complexity. Discuss the influence of the Scottish scientists and engineers towards this branch of physics. They have a table of energy stores to identify from pictures and definitions. 

Identify and describe 20 examples of transfer from one energy store to the kinetic energy store, i.e. chemical energy to a moving vehicle.

Career Film: This is Emin Veron. Emin works as a fuel performance scientist for National Nuclear Laboratory.

Expert Film: This is Edward Reeves, who works as a Project Manager for National Nuclear Laboratory. Edward talks about the kinetic energy store.

Mission Assignment

Use the handout as the activity for the lesson. The students have 4 equations to resolve that increase with complexity. Discuss the influence of the Scottish scientists and engineers towards this branch of physics. They have a table of energy stores to identify from pictures and definitions. Identify and describe 20 examples of transfer from one energy store to the kinetic energy store, i.e. chemical energy to a moving vehicle.

Challenge Task: Calculate the kinetic energy of a ball with a mass of 550g moving with a speed of 6 m/s. Include your units in your answer (9.9 J). Another ball has a mass of 150g and a kinetic energy of 12 J; what is its speed? Include units in your answer. Quote your answer to 3 significant figures (12.6 m/s).

Impact & Assessment Opportunities

Plenary

Use the summative quiz to assess the students' learning. Think of some examples in everyday life where kinetic energy is useful. What can we do to make it more useful in these cases?