Marble Racers Experiment

Objective: To observe how an object's mass and speed affect its ability to transfer energy.

Materials per Group:

• 2-3 Marbles (ideally different sizes, e.g., small, medium, large)
• 1 Small block or empty cardboard box (e.g., matchbox, tissue box)
• 1 Ruler or small ramp (e.g., textbook, piece of cardboard)
• Measuring tape or a second ruler
• Masking tape (to mark starting lines or distances)

Procedure:

Part 1: Investigating the Effect of Mass

1. Set up your ramp by propping one end of a ruler or cardboard on a textbook. Make sure the height is consistent for all trials in this part.
2. Place the small block/box about 10 cm from the bottom of your ramp.
3. Choose your smallest marble. Place it at the top of the ramp and release it (don't push!).
4. Observe how far the block moves after being hit by the marble. Use your measuring tape to record the distance the block traveled in the table below.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 two more times with the smallest marble to get an average distance.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 with your medium and largest marbles, always starting from the same ramp height.

Data Table: Effect of Mass (Constant Ramp Height)

Part 2: Investigating the Effect of Speed

1. Choose one marble (e.g., your medium-sized marble) and use it for all trials in this part.
2. Set up your ramp with a low height (e.g., one textbook).
3. Place the small block/box about 10 cm from the bottom of your ramp.
4. Place your chosen marble at the top of the low ramp and release it.
5. Observe and record the distance the block moved in the table below.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 two more times with the low ramp height.
7. Increase the ramp height (e.g., two textbooks). This will make the marble go faster!
8. Repeat steps 4-6 with the medium ramp height.
9. Increase the ramp height again (e.g., three textbooks). This will make the marble go even faster!
10. Repeat steps 4-6 with the high ramp height.

Data Table: Effect of Speed (Constant Marble Mass)

Reflection Questions:

1. In Part 1, when the ramp height (and thus speed) was kept the same, what did you observe about the block's movement as the marble's mass increased?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. In Part 2, when you used the same marble but increased the ramp height (and thus the marble's speed), what did you observe about the block's movement?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Based on your experiment, how do you think the mass of a moving object affects its energy?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Based on your experiment, how do you think the speed of a moving object affects its energy?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Get Moving! The Energy of Motion Script

Engage & Inquire: What Makes Things Move? (5 minutes)

(Teacher): "Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to dive into something really cool that affects everything around us: motion and energy. Has anyone ever wondered what makes a ball roll, a car drive, or even you run? What makes things move, and what makes them stop?"

(Teacher): "Great ideas! We often talk about things moving, but there's a special type of energy associated with that movement. Think about it: a moving object can do things, right? A rolling bowling ball can knock down pins, a gust of wind can turn a windmill. That ability to do work or cause change is what we call energy."

(Teacher): "Today, we're going to explore this 'energy of motion' more deeply. We'll even do an experiment to see it in action!"

(Transition to Energy in Motion Slides - Slide 1 and 2)

Explore & Discover: Marble Racers Experiment (20 minutes)

(Teacher): "Alright, scientists! It's time for our hands-on exploration. You'll be working in small groups for our 'Marble Racers Experiment'."

(Teacher): "Your goal is to investigate how different marbles and different ramp heights affect how far a small block moves when hit. We're looking at how the 'stuff' an object is made of (its mass) and how fast it's going (its speed) might change its ability to cause motion."

(Teacher): "Here are your materials: marbles, a small block, a ruler or small ramp, and a measuring tape. Please pick them up now."

(Allow time for groups to collect materials.)

(Teacher): "Before you begin, let's look at the instructions on the Marble Racers Experiment Activity handout. You'll work through two parts: first, changing the marble size while keeping the ramp height the same; second, changing the ramp height while keeping the marble the same. Remember to record your observations carefully in the data tables provided!"

(Teacher): "I'll be circulating to help if you have any questions. Work together, observe closely, and have fun!"

(Transition to Energy in Motion Slides - Slide 3. Circulate and guide students during the activity, prompting observations like, 'What did you notice when you used a heavier marble?' or 'How did the block move differently when the ramp was higher?')

Explain & Define: Understanding Kinetic Energy (10 minutes)

(Teacher): "Excellent work, everyone! Let's bring our attention back to the front. You just experienced firsthand how motion can cause change. Now, let's give a name to that energy of motion."

(Transition to Energy in Motion Slides - Slide 4)

(Teacher): "The energy an object has because it is moving is called Kinetic Energy. Say that with me: Kinetic Energy! It comes from the Greek word 'kinesis,' meaning motion. So, if something is moving, it has kinetic energy."

(Teacher): "Think back to your marble experiment. When did your block move further? What seemed to give the marble more 'power' to move the block?"

(Teacher): "Exactly! You probably noticed two main things. Let's look at the first one: Mass."

(Transition to Energy in Motion Slides - Slide 5)

(Teacher): "In Part 1 of your experiment, you used different sized marbles. If a bowling ball and a tennis ball were both rolling slowly, which one would you rather stand in front of? Why?"

(Teacher): "Right! The bowling ball has more 'stuff' in it, more mass. So, if two objects are moving at the same speed, the one with more mass has more kinetic energy! It has more power to cause a change."

(Teacher): "Now, what about the other factor? Speed."

(Transition to Energy in Motion Slides - Slide 6)

(Teacher): "In Part 2, you changed the ramp height, which made your marble go faster or slower. Imagine a car driving slowly down the street. Now imagine that same car speeding really fast. Which scenario would cause more damage in a collision?"

(Teacher): "A car speeding fast, absolutely! This shows us that the faster an object is moving, the more kinetic energy it has. In fact, speed has a much bigger impact on kinetic energy than mass does! A small increase in speed makes a huge difference."

(Transition to Energy in Motion Slides - Slide 7)

(Teacher): "So, to summarize, the two main factors that affect an object's kinetic energy are its mass (how much stuff it has) and its speed (how fast it's moving). Remember those two!"

Apply & Extend: Kinetic Energy in Action (10 minutes)

(Teacher): "Now that we've defined kinetic energy and discussed its two main influences, it's time to apply what you've learned. I'm going to hand out the Kinetic Energy Worksheet."

(Distribute Kinetic Energy Worksheet.)

(Teacher): "On this worksheet, you'll find a few scenarios. I want you to use your understanding of mass and speed, and what you observed in the marble experiment, to explain which object has more kinetic energy or why. You can work individually or with a partner."

(Circulate and assist students. After 5-7 minutes, bring the class back for a quick review.)

(Teacher): "Let's go over some of the answers together. Who wants to share their thoughts on Question 1?"

(Use the Kinetic Energy Worksheet Answer Key to guide the discussion, clarifying any misconceptions.)

(Teacher): "Excellent discussion, everyone! To wrap up, remember: Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and the two things that matter most are an object's mass and its speed. The faster and more massive an object is, the more kinetic energy it has!"

(Transition to Energy in Motion Slides - Slide 8)

(Teacher): "That's all for today. Great work exploring the fascinating world of kinetic energy!"

Kinetic Energy in Action

Name: ________________________
Date: ________________________

Directions: Read each scenario carefully and answer the questions using what you learned about kinetic energy, mass, and speed.

1. Scenario: A small sports car and a large truck are both driving down the highway at the exact same speed.

   • Which vehicle has more kinetic energy?
     
     
     
   • Explain your reasoning:
     
     
     
     
     
     

2. Scenario: A skateboarder is rolling slowly down a sidewalk. Later, the same skateboarder is racing very quickly down a hill.

   • In which situation does the skateboarder have more kinetic energy?
     
     
     
   • Explain your reasoning:
     
     
     
     
     
     

3. Scenario: Imagine two baseballs. One is thrown gently, and the other is hit hard by a baseball bat.

   • Which baseball has more kinetic energy just after it leaves the hand/bat?
     
     
     
   • What factor is primarily different between the two baseballs that causes this difference in kinetic energy?
     
     
     

4. Scenario: During our Marble Racers Experiment, what did you observe when you used a heavier marble compared to a lighter marble (assuming both were released from the same height)? How does this relate to kinetic energy?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. Scenario: During our Marble Racers Experiment, what did you observe when you released the same marble from a higher ramp compared to a lower ramp? How does this relate to kinetic energy?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

6. Challenge Question: Why is it more dangerous to be hit by a small object moving very fast (like a bullet) than by a much larger object moving very slowly (like a feather drifting down)? Think about which factor has a greater impact on kinetic energy.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Kinetic Energy in Action - Answer Key

Directions: Review each scenario and the provided answers. The explanations demonstrate the reasoning based on kinetic energy, mass, and speed.

1. Scenario: A small sports car and a large truck are both driving down the highway at the exact same speed.

   • Which vehicle has more kinetic energy? The large truck
   • Explain your reasoning: Both vehicles are moving at the same speed, but the large truck has significantly more mass than the small sports car. Since kinetic energy depends on both mass and speed, the more massive truck will have more kinetic energy.

2. Scenario: A skateboarder is rolling slowly down a sidewalk. Later, the same skateboarder is racing very quickly down a hill.

   • In which situation does the skateboarder have more kinetic energy? When racing very quickly down a hill
   • Explain your reasoning: The skateboarder's mass remains the same. However, when racing down a hill, their speed is much greater than when rolling slowly. Because kinetic energy increases with speed (and speed has a greater impact), the skateboarder has more kinetic energy when moving quickly.

3. Scenario: Imagine two baseballs. One is thrown gently, and the other is hit hard by a baseball bat.

   • Which baseball has more kinetic energy just after it leaves the hand/bat? The baseball hit hard by the bat
   • What factor is primarily different between the two baseballs that causes this difference in kinetic energy? Speed (The ball hit by the bat will have a much higher speed.)

4. Scenario: During our Marble Racers Experiment, what did you observe when you used a heavier marble compared to a lighter marble (assuming both were released from the same height)? How does this relate to kinetic energy?

   • Observation: When a heavier marble was used, the block moved a greater distance compared to when a lighter marble was used (from the same ramp height).
   • Relation to Kinetic Energy: This shows that objects with more mass have more kinetic energy, assuming their speed is the same. The heavier marble, having more kinetic energy, was able to transfer more energy to the block, moving it further.

5. Scenario: During our Marble Racers Experiment, what did you observe when you released the same marble from a higher ramp compared to a lower ramp? How does this relate to kinetic energy?

   • Observation: When the same marble was released from a higher ramp, it moved faster and caused the block to travel a greater distance compared to when released from a lower ramp.
   • Relation to Kinetic Energy: This demonstrates that increasing an object's speed increases its kinetic energy. The faster marble, having more kinetic energy, transferred more energy to the block, pushing it further.

6. Challenge Question: Why is it more dangerous to be hit by a small object moving very fast (like a bullet) than by a much larger object moving very slowly (like a feather drifting down)? Think about which factor has a greater impact on kinetic energy.

   • Explanation: This is because speed has a much greater impact on kinetic energy than mass does. Even though a bullet is very small (low mass) compared to a drifting feather (larger in comparison, but still very light), the bullet's extremely high speed gives it a tremendous amount of kinetic energy. The kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed (speed x speed), meaning a small increase in speed results in a much larger increase in kinetic energy than a proportional increase in mass. Therefore, the bullet's immense speed makes it far more dangerous.