I. Title of Module:

• Types of Energy and Their Inter-Relationship

II. Author(s):

• Eugene Ginter

III. Grade Level:

• High School 9-12

IV. Nature of The Students:

• Urban Minority

V. Purposes (Course Objectives):

After a brief history of physics, students will learn about the various types of energy, how each type is produced and how each is transformed into another. The theory is then applied, as students build a dozen fuel cell cars. These cars transform solar energy to electricity which intern transforms water to hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen and hydrogen are stored and then recombined to form water and release energy that runs the car.

Students learn about magnetism by playing with magnetic levitation tops. Students also play games with “ Air Puck Kick Disc” that moves nearly frictionless across the floor and they learn about levitation, elastic and inelastic collisions.

Students play with 50-foot long solar bags, which rise as air inside is heated by the morning sun.

The power of waves is shown as students build paper structures to see if a sound wave generator carries enough energy to topple their structure.

Finally, we will study Newton’s Three Laws as well as the Law of Gravitation. Students then build individual water rockets that are shot up to a height of 400 feet with the use of air pressure. Using a parachute they glide back to earth and are fired again.

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Last Updated July 22, 2003 by Roz Krakowsky
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