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11th grade Conservation of energy on ramps, swings and coasters worksheet

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Conservation of energy on ramps, swings and coasters

Grade 11 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

  1. A toy coaster cart starts at rest 6 m up a frictionless track and rolls down to 1 m up. With g = 9.8 m/s², how fast is it there, Ari, to the nearest tenth?

  2. A toy coaster cart starts at rest 4 m up a frictionless track and rolls down to 1.5 m up. With g = 9.8 m/s², how fast is it there, Bo, to the nearest tenth?

  3. A toy coaster cart starts at rest 5 m up a frictionless track and rolls down to 3.2 m up. With g = 9.8 m/s², how fast is it there, Esme, to the nearest tenth?

  4. Read this first

    Energy of a 0.5 kg toy coaster cart at three points (example data)

    PointHeight (m)Gravitational (J)Kinetic (J)
    A524.50
    B29.814.7
    C0022

  5. Using the table, between which points does friction act on the cart, Jun?

    • Between A and B
    • Before point A
    • Nowhere, since energy is conserved
    • Between B and C

  6. Using the table, how much mechanical energy became thermal energy, Kira?

    • 22 J
    • 24.5 J
    • 2.5 J
    • 0 J

  7. Using the table, what is the cart's total mechanical energy at point B, Luz?

    • 9.8 J
    • 14.7 J, the kinetic energy
    • 24.5 J
    • 22 J

  8. Milo says a heavier cart reaches a higher speed at the bottom of a frictionless ramp than a lighter one. Agree or disagree?

    • Agree: lighter carts lose more energy
    • Disagree: both reach the same speed
    • Agree: more weight means more speed

  9. Pia says a cart's speed at the bottom of a frictionless track depends on the track's shape, not just its height drop. Agree or disagree?

    • Agree: steeper tracks give more speed
    • Disagree: the height drop sets the speed
    • Agree: longer tracks give more speed

  10. A toy coaster cart starts at rest 5 m up a frictionless track. Can it get over a hill 6 m high, Ren?

    • Yes, if the cart is heavier
    • No: it can't rise above its 5 m start
    • Yes, if it goes fast at the bottom

  11. A toy coaster cart starts at rest 5 m up a frictionless track. With g = 9.8 m/s², how fast is it on top of a 3 m hill, Tala?

    • About 6.3 m/s
    • About 7.7 m/s
    • 0 m/s
    • About 9.9 m/s
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11th grade Conservation of energy on ramps, swings and coasters worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Conservation of energy on ramps, swings and coasters. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can use "kinetic + gravitational energy stays the same" with no friction to find kinetic energy at any point on a track.
  • I can find the speed at the bottom, v = √(2gh), and the speed partway down from the height dropped. I can also find the height reached from a speed, h = v² ÷ 2g.
  • I can explain why mass cancels, why a pendulum bob returns to its starting height, and why a cart can't climb above its start.
  • I can spot friction in data: a falling total means mechanical energy became thermal energy.

Standard: HS-PS3-1

Words to know

mechanical energy: Kinetic plus gravitational (and spring) energy

conserved: The total stays the same

frictionless: No friction, so no energy turns into thermal energy

pendulum bob: The weight at the end of a pendulum's string

height dropped: Starting height minus the height now

Common mistakes

Your child added the energies. The total stays the same, so kinetic energy = total − gravitational energy left.

Your child left out the 2. From mgh = ½mv², the speed is the square root of 2gh.

Your child used the full starting height. Only the drop from the start to that point turns into kinetic energy.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with conservation of energy on ramps, swings and coasters?

Your child added the energies. The total stays the same, so kinetic energy = total − gravitational energy left.

Are these 11th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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