Potential and Kinetic Energy Lab Activity

$3.99

This is a RIGOROUS and THOROUGH version of the popular bouncing balls potential and kinetic energy tennis ball lab.

Grades 7 and Up

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There are 3 sections to this potential and kinetic energy activity…

Part One (Introduction):

  • Read a brief introduction to kinetic and potential energy, gravitational potential energy, as well as the law of conservation of energy.

Part Two (GPE and Height):

  • Learn how gravitational potential energy (GPE) is calculated.
  • Measure the mass of a tennis ball and calculate its GPE at different heights. (The document leads students step-by-step through the easy math.)
  • Graph simple GPE data on a pre-made graph.
  • Make a claim based on evidence about how height relates to GPE.

Part Three (GPE and KE):

  • Perform a simple lab in which students drop a tennis ball from different heights and measure its bounce height.
  • Graph GPE and bounce height data on a pre-made graph.
  • Make connections between GPE and resulting KE.
  • Make a claim based on evidence about how the potential energy of an object affects its kinetic energy when it drops.

Materials Required:

Teacher Notes:

  • Includes a suggested answer key.
  • Please note: This PDF resource is NOT editable.
  • We have lots of related resources in the ENERGY SECTION OF OUR STORE.

This energy activity supports the standards:

  • NGSS MS-PS3-1, MS-PS3-5, MS-PS2-2
  • NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Analyzing and interpreting data
  • NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Using mathematics and computational thinking

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