9-2-mechanical-energy-and-conservation-of-energy_summary

This section focuses on Mechanical Energy and the Conservation of Energy in physics. By the end of this section, students should be able to explain the law of conservation of energy in terms of kinetic and potential energy, perform calculations related to kinetic and potential energy, and apply the law of conservation of energy. The learning objectives also include understanding the transformation of kinetic and potential energy, and investigating examples of kinetic and potential energy and their transformations. The concept of conservation of momentum is also covered. The High School Physics Laboratory Manual addresses content in this section in the lab titled 'Work and Energy'. The section includes key terms such as kinetic energy, potential energy, mechanical energy, conservation of energy, work, friction, and heat. The section describes how mechanical energy can be either potential or kinetic, and how energy is transformed from one form to the other. It explains that in a closed system, the sum of these forms of energy remains constant, and that work is required to raise an object and is equal to the gain in gravitational potential energy. It also discusses that friction causes energy loss in energy-work transformations, and that the total mechanical energy remains constant in a closed system only if there is no loss of energy due to friction. The section includes a virtual physics simulation 'Energy Skate Park Basics' that shows how kinetic and potential energy are related. A worked example and practice problems are also provided to help students apply their understanding of mechanical energy and the conservation of energy.