Unit 1 – Introduce Energy
STUDENTS’ GUIDE
CHALLENGE
We all use energy every day.
understand it?
What is energy and how can we describe and
ACTIVITY FOCUS
Energy and the use of ENERGY TRANSFER and ENERGY CHAINS to describe it
are introduced. You investigate and discuss POTENTIAL and KINETIC ENERGY
while playing the “House of Cards” game.
MATERIALS
Part A
Part B
For each student
For each group of students
2, 2” paper clips
80 “Building Cards” (3”x5” index cards)
1 foam cup
SAFETY NOTE
Only touch the paper clip to your own lip. Be careful not to get the clip in
your eye.
PROCEDURE
Part A Introducing Energy, Energy Transfer and Energy Chains
1. Open your paper clip into a “V” shape and touch Point A to your upper lip as
shown in Illustration 1.1 below. Record in your science notebook how it feels to
your lip.
A
A
[Illustration 1.1]
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Unit 1 – Introduce Energy
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2. Bend your paper clip back and forth 10 times as shown and immediately touch Point
A again to your upper lip. Record how it now feels and describe any difference.
3. Draw an energy chain for a person throwing a ball to another person who catches it.
Remember that every energy chain includes an energy source, a method of energy
transfer, and an energy receiver. Review and discuss your chain with the other
members of your group.
Part B POTENTIAL and KINETIC ENERGY – The House of Cards Game
4. Introduction to Build a House of Cards
It takes energy to construct a building. Where does the energy go? You will
investigate that question in this activity. Working as a group, you have 10 minutes
to build a house, up to five stories high, out of cards. Each card represents an
amount of energy of lifting or mechanical energy needed to construct that part of the
wall or ceiling. The energy needed for each floor is first the number of cards used
times the floor they are used on. In addition all folded cards represent additional
use of energy and their value is doubled. Third floor cards, for example, have to be
lifted 3 times as high as first floor cards. The house must be able to support a foam
drinking cup on top. The house that has the greatest number of floors, uses the
fewest number of cards and stores the least amount of energy is considered the most
successful.
5. The Rules
a. Each group may build only one final house of card. Investigation of different
approaches is encouraged.
b. The structure must be freestanding and support the cup on top.
c. The cards may be folded to produce supporting walls. The energy value of a
folded card is double the value of an unfolded one used for the same purpose.
The folded cards represent supporting walls that weigh twice as much and
require twice as much energy to lift.
d. The cards cannot be ripped or cut.
e. Each “floor” is made up of its walls and the ceiling above it. The walls must
enclose space forming a room. One card cannot form a wall.
f. Numbered cards correspond to each floor and may be used only for that floor.
The number on the card represents the number of units of energy needed to raise
that card to that floor of the house. Folding the card doubles the energy needed
to use it.
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Unit 1 – Introduce Energy
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g. You are allowed only 10 minutes for official construction of your final model.
When time is up, the structure must stand, with the cup on top, without
collapsing for at least 1 minute.
h. When directed by the teacher, your group will release the energy now stored in
the structure and calculate the number of “energy units” the house contained.
Use the directions below for calculating energy units.
6. Adding up the energy that was stored in your finished structure is easy. Because
each card is the same size and weight (whether used as a wall or a ceiling panel), the
energy it takes to lift one is the same for each. Lifting one twice as high takes twice
the energy, and three times as high takes three times the energy, etc. Folding a card
takes twice the energy used for an unfolded one used on the same floor.
Use a chart like the following one, or one your group designs, to help you calculate
the stored energy:
CALCULATING STORED ENERGY UNITS
FLOOR
Number of Energy Used Number of Energy Used
Regular
#regular
Folded
#folded
Cards
cards x 1
Cards
cards x 2
Total Energy Units
Per Floor = Floor #
x (energy of regular
+ folded cards)
1
2
3
4
5
Energy Stored in each floor = No. of regular cards x floor + No. of folded cards x floor x 2
Total Energy Stored in the House Of Card = Sum of the energy stored in the 5 levels
7. Make a sketch of the winning House of Cards. As a group, discuss why you think
this design was successful.
SUSTAIN US - Sustainable Energy Curriculum
Unit 1 – Introduce Energy
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