Energy-+Ashley

Kinetic and Gravitational Potential Energy – Pre Writing Assessment  Roller coasters start with an amount of Gravitational Potential Energy, because most of them start above the ground. Most roller coasters start with barely any GPE because they aren't above the ground very much. Roller coasters also start with an amount of Kinetic energy, usually none because the ride hasn't started so theroller coaster isn't moving. Throughout the entire roller coaster ride there are two different types of energy that flow through the roller coaster. These are Gravitational Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy. I will choose three points on the roller coaster and show what types of energy is there at that the certain point. Point number one had the most amount of GPE. This was because it was at the highest possible point in the roller coaster. Point number three had an increasing amount of GPE. This was due to the height that the coaster was at. Point number six had decreasing amount of GPE, because the height of the roller coaster was starting to go down as it moved. This brings us to the amounts of KE changing for these three points. At the first point there was no KE at all, this was because the coaster was at a standstill and not moving. At the next point (#3) there was an increasing amount of KE because the roller coaster was moving and was gaining speed as it moved. Then point number six also had an increasing amount of KE because it was moving, but not very much, ther was less KE at this point thaqn point number three because the roller coaster had a higher speed than this point. Also because the coaster was about to increase its speed since it was going downhill. Kinetic Energy and Gravitational Potential Energy each have their own differences but are alike in the way that they can sometimes depend on each other. Such as if something is gradually moving upwards it has KE but is also building GPE, because there is always the possibility that the object could fall. So, GPE and KE are very similar yet different at the same time. 