Illustration of Understands and applies knowledge of conservation of energy and increase in disorder in the ICLE's Rigor and Relevance Framework
Quadrant C

Students will be able to use the conservation of energy to calculate the potential and kinetic energies in the movement of a car moving along the track of a roller coaster.

*Constancy, Change, and Measurement

 Quadrant D

Students will be able to work in teams to design and construct a mousetrap car that must travel a given distance in the shortest period of time. Students will be able to incorporate their understanding of the relationship between work and various energy transformations between potential and kinetic energies involved in getting the car to move. Students must also show how they have applied their understanding of other physics ideas (i.e. forces and motion) in the design and construction of their car.

*Constancy, Change, and Measurement
Quadrant A

Students will be able to make observations, predictions, and hypotheses about the motions and energies associated with objects (i.e. cars and balls) moving down Hot Wheels tracks, ramps, and loop-the-loops.

 Quadrant B

Students will be able to apply the conservation of energy to predict the launch speed of a water rocket, ball, or foam dart launched vertically upward.

*Constancy, Change, and Measurement
*Unifying Concept (NSES) represented in this activity. Unifying concepts cross-curricular areas and provide students with productive and insightful ways of thinking about and integrating basic ideas that explain the natural and designed world.