Potential Energy: Stored Energy

Lab Brief #4

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

The opposite of what you expect is often what happens.

What you'll learn

Potential energy is stored energy based on position or condition. A ball at the top of a hill has gravitational potential energy. A stretched rubber band has elastic potential energy.

Key words

kinetic energy
The energy an object has because it is moving.
potential energy
Stored energy an object has because of its position or shape.
energy
The power to make things move, grow, or change.

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: what happens if you double the force?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

rubber bands

⚠️ Safety first

Have an adult check your set-up before you start, and tidy everything away afterwards.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Construct a catapult from popsicle sticks and rubber bands. Launch a marshmallow from different angles and measure the distance. Find the angle that gives the longest launch.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Observe what happens and describe it in detail.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.

Question 1 of 3

What type of energy does a stretched rubber band have?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

Which is an example of potential energy?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

What type of energy does a moving object have?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🎢 You feel weightless on a roller coaster because you and the seat are falling at the same speed.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Magnetic Poles and Fields All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

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✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Time how long a small ball rolls down something, then change the slope and try again.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”

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Potential Energy: Stored Energy

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