Racecar Book: Build and Race Mousetrap Cars, Dragsters, Tri-Can Haulers & More

Racecar Book: Build and Race Mousetrap Cars, Dragsters, Tri-Can Haulers & More — page 9
Energy Energy is the ability to do work And in science work means getting something to move Energy comes in two forms potential and kinetic Potential energy PE is stored energy A stretched rubber band has stored elastic potential energy Elastic materials will return to their original shape after being stretched Elastic energy is most commonly found in rub ber bands and springs You will use both to power your racecars A box sitting on a high shelf has stored gravitational potential energy Gravitational potential energy is energy an object has because of its position Climbing a flight of stairs gives you more potential energy Ramps will be used to give a few of your racecars the energy they need to go Once your car starts moving the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy KE or energy of motion The more stored energy you have the greater kinetic energy you will get out Play with a rubber band to understand this Stretch it a little and shoot it Now stretch it more and shoot it More PE equals more KE and KE means speed And speed is fun 4 K O O B R A C E C A R E H T