Graph How Speed and Mass Affect Kinetic Energy: Cars Examples

Students will graph how speed and mass affect kinetic energy to address NGSS MS-PS3-1.

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Students use this energy worksheet to calculate and graph how SPEED and MASS affect kinetic ENERGY of different vehicles (in two separate graphs). The math is simple and middle school appropriate in level. All data is based on realistic information about various types of cars, so this adds engagement for kids!

In this activity, students:

• Calculate kinetic energy
• Graph mass versus kinetic energy
• Graph speed versus kinetic energy
• Analyze their graphs for the relationship between mass and kinetic energy and between speed and kinetic energy

In Part One, students calculate and graph the kinetic energy of various vehicles (different masses) that are traveling at a constant speed.

In Part Two, students calculate and graph the kinetic energy of a car (constant mass) at different speeds.

You may also be interested in:

• Mass and Speed vs. Energy Quiz
• Mass and Speed vs. Energy Presentation

Teacher Notes:

• INCLUDES AN ANSWER KEY
• Please note: This PDF resource is NOT editable.
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Related Standards:

• NGSS MS-PS2-2: Plan an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
• NGSS MS-PS3-1: Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass and speed of an object.
• NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Analyzing and interpreting data
• NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Using mathematics and computational thinking