Name _______________________ Period _____
Conservation of Energy Diagrams-Notes
For each situation shown below:
1. Show your choice of system in the energy flow diagram, unless it is specified for you.
**Always include the earth in your system.
2. Decide if your system is frictionless or not, and state this.
3. Sketch an energy bar graph for the initial situation.
4. Then complete the analysis by showing energy transfers and the final energy bar graph.
1. A moving car, moving up a hill, coasts to a stop up on top.
Ek
vi > 0
dyi = 0
Initial
Eg
Energy Flow
Eel
Ek
Final
Eg Eel Ediss
Ek
Final
Eg Eel Ediss
vf = 0
dyf > 0
2. A moving car, moving up a hill, coasts to a stop up on top.
Ek
vi > 0
dyi > 0
Initial
Eg
Energy Flow
Eel
vf = 0
dyf > 0
3. A car on a roller coaster track, launched by a tightly coiled spring, makes it to the top of the loop and is
still moving.
Initial
Ek Eg
Energy Flow
Eel
Ek
Final
Eg Eel Ediss
4. A car on a roller coaster track, launched by a tightly coiled spring, is in the middle of its motion up the
loop.
Ek
Initial
Eg
Energy Flow
Eel
Ek
Final
Eg Eel Ediss
Ek
Final
Eg Eel Ediss
Ek
Final
Eg Eel Ediss
5. A person pushes a stalled car to get it to the service station.
Initial
Ek Eg
Energy Flow
Eel
6. A crate, starting at rest, is propelled up a hill by a tightly coiled spring.
Ek
vf > 0
dyf > 0
vi = 0
dyi = 0
Initial
Eg
Energy Flow
Eel
7. Chuck Norris, stopping a speeding locomotive, is pushed backwards a few meters in the process.
Initial
Ek Eg
Energy Flow
Eel
Ek
Final
Eg Eel Ediss
8. Create an energy flow diagram for the “Phooling Around in Physics” Activity where the car was making
a jump across an opening. Make the initial condition when the car was elevated along the track but not
yet released. Make the final condition when the car was at its highest point in the jump.
Initial
Ek Eg
Energy Flow
Eel
Ek
Final
Eg Eel Ediss