Graphing Speed and Mass versus Kinetic Energy: Sports Examples

$3.75

Use sports as an engagement “hook”.

Grades 7 – 10

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This sports-themed energy worksheet hits a HOME RUN to support the standard MS-PS3-1! (Also effective with Newton’s 2nd Law and force and motion units.)
 
In this middle school 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
The activity gives and uses the equation for KE, but it is easy math (plugging in numbers, if you will). This is not high school physics and is totally appropriate for middle school science.
 
In Part One, students calculate and graph the kinetic energy of various sports balls (different masses) that are traveling at a constant speed.

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

 Teacher Notes:
  • All of the mass (of the sports balls) and speeds (of a pitcher throwing) given are accurate and realistic.
  • Includes answer key.
  • Please note: This PDF resource is NOT editable.
This force and motion worksheet supports the standards:
  • NGSS MS-PS3-1, MS-PS2-2, and MA 7-MS-PS3-1
  • NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Analyzing and interpreting data
  • NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Using mathematics and computational thinking

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