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Home Concept Builders Work and Energy Up and Down with Energy Directions

Up and Down with Energy - Directions

Using the Up and Down With Energy Concept Builder is quite simple. You will be presented with a graphic of an object moving up and down along a typical free-fall path. You can assume that the motion is entirely vertical even though the downward path is horizontally offset from the upward path. There are five marked locations along the trajectory. The PE and KE values are given at location A. You can use this information along with height to determine the PE and KE values at the other requested locations. Location E is the location just prior to contact with the ground. It can be considered the same height as location A.

In the Apprentice Difficulty Level, the trajectory is displayed with a background grid of squares. At the highest location - Location C - the object is 20 squares high. Locations B and D are the halfway-to-peak location (10 squares high) and either the one-fourth height (5 squares high) or the three-fourths height (15 squares high). This information can be used to determine PE values along the trajectory. You can assume that mechanical energy is conserved and use this assumption to determine the KE values.

In the Master Difficulty Level, the actual height values are provided for Locations B, C, and D. The mass is also stated. These numerical values can be used to determine the PE values for the three locations. You can assume that mechanical energy is conserved and use this assumption to determine the KE values.

In the Wizard Difficulty Level, the three locations include the highest location (Location C), the halfway-to-peak location, and either the one-fourth height or the three-fourths height. You can determine the PE value at the peak height (location C) and use the relative heights to determine the PE values at locations B and D. The kinetic energyies will have to be used to determine the speeds at two specified locations.

To enter numbers into the blanks simply tap on the blank. A Number Pad pops up. You can use the Number Pad to enter answers into the blank. Once complete, you can tap the Close Number Pad button (at the bottom of the number pad) or tap on a different blank. Once you are satisfied with your answers, tap on the Check Answers button. Your answers will be evaluated and feedback will be given. Feedback is given in terms of color-coded blanks. Blanks color-coded green were correctly answered and cannot be changed again. If an answer is incorrect, then the table cell will be color-coded red.

The Concept Builder keeps track of the number of misses. A miss is considered any value that is entered into a cell and evaluated as incorrect. If a blank's value is incorrect on the first attempt and if not changed nor deleted, it would be marked as a miss on the second attempt. If you do not wish to check that incorrect value again, then you would have to remove the value (tap on the blank to open the Number Pad and tap on the C or Clear button) before the next time that you check your answers.

Once all blanks are accurately completed, your Health Percent is shown. The Health Percent is based upon the number of misses. The formulas for calculating this are:

Apprentice Difficulty Level: Health Percent = 100 - 3*Number of Misses

Master Difficulty Level: Health Percent = 100 - 2*Number of Misses

Wizard Difficulty Level: Health Percent = 100 - 2*Number of Misses


Your Health Percent is displayed on the Main Menu. If you wish to repeat the Difficulty Level to improve your Health Percent, you can tap on the provided button to do so. Your best Health Percent is always displayed on the Main Menu. If you repeat a difficulty level and do worse the second time, it is the best Percent that will be displayed.

Concept Builder Teacher Notes