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Title
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Exploring Energy Transfers and Transformations
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Type
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Primary: Field Assignment
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Operation
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Infinite Potential
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Mission:
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Mission 2: Waves of Change
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Print Page
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44,45
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Subjects
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Earth and space science | Energy | Energy sources | Energy transfer | Science as inquiry | Science process skills | Analyzing data | Science
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Grades
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5 | 6 | 7 | 8
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Keywords
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energy, transfer, transformation, predictable, Dr. Titov, design, test, warning system, tsunami, forecast, real-time, model, data, location, magnitude, seismic event, ocean, earthquake, DART buoy, simulation, Philippines, Pacific Ocean, system, design, build, modify, test, egg, drop, San Francisco, California, Hawaii Region, South America Region, New Guinea, Tokyo, Japan, propagation map, shore, velocity, distance, time, wave height, PE, KE, Conservation of Energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, graph
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Duration
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03:00:00 (HH:MM:SS)
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Audience
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Teachers | Elementary Grades | Junior High
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Created On
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3/30/2009
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Copyright
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Map: Vasily Titov, NOAA
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From: Infinite Potential Mission 2: Waves of Change (pp: 44,45) |
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Exploring Energy Transfers and Transformations After analyzing and forecasting the energy transfers and transformations in Dr. Titov’s system, you will be faced with designing and testing your own energy transfer and transformation system. Using your knowledge of energy and how it can be changed, your challenge will involve designing, building, modifying, and testing a device or structure that will protect an egg from cracking when dropped from increasing heights. |
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 Recall that your mission is to understand how energy is transferred and transformed in predictable ways. Now that you have been fully briefed, it is time to put your knowledge into action. Dr. Titov knows how important it is for scientists to design and test their warning systems before putting them into use. His goal is to develop an operational tool that can provide quick and accurate tsunami forecasts in real-time. However, fast real-time forecast modeling of tsunami waves is complicated. First, he receives data about the location and magnitude of the seismic event. Then, he begins receiving data about the transfer and transformation of the earthquake energy by the tsunami wave from the network of DART® buoys in the ocean. After importing this data into his computer, a simulation, or model, is created which helps him make specific tsunami forecasts for locations around the world. To begin this activity, you will analyze forecast data from Dr. Titov’s simulation system that uses data from an event that occurred in the eastern Philippines. From this data set, you will make specific forecasts about the energy transfers and transformations for locations found within the Pacific Ocean.  | Caution!
Follow your instructor’s safety protocols for dropping your egg protection structure. | After analyzing and forecasting the energy transfers and transformations in Dr. Titov’s system, you will be faced with designing and testing your own energy transfer and transformation system. Using your knowledge of energy and how it can be changed, your challenge will involve designing, building, modifying, and testing a structure that will protect an egg when dropped from increasing heights.  NOTE: White lines extending away from the source region represent 1 hour of elapsed timeand wave heights are represented by color.  | Mission 2 Argonaut Field Assignment Video
Join the National Argonauts as they study tsunamis with Dr. Vasily Titov. |
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| Materials |
| - tape measure
- balance
- stopwatch
- materials provided by instructor
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| Field Preparation |
- Examine the tsunami propagation map generated using tsunami simulation data from Dr. Titov.
- Using another map source, such as an atlas or Google Earth™, determine the approximate distance from the Source Region to the following locations (in kilometers):
- San Francisco, California
- Point labeled Hawaii Region
- Point labeled South America Region
- Northern most point of New Guinea
- Tokyo, Japan
- Using the propagation map, determine the amount of time it takes for the tsunami generated by the earthquake to reach the shores of each location.
- Using the following formula, determine the average speed of the energy propagated by the tsunami wave to each location from the source.
 - From the propagation map, determine and record the approximate resultant wave height at each location.
- Using the data collected, determine which areas, if any, need to be warned about a possible tsunami threat.
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| Mission Challenge |
Your challenge will involve designing, building, modifying, and testing a structure that protects an egg from breaking as it is dropped from various heights. This will allow you to explore first hand the key variables involved with determining potential energy (PE), kinetic energy (KE), and protective system parameters. - Using a sheet of graph paper, create a graph that shows the relationship between height and velocity for a dropped object using PE and KE and the Conservation of Energy. Graph height with a range from zero to five meters in 25 cm increments.
 - Build and determine the mass of your egg protection system (with egg) using the materials provided by your instructor.
- Calculate the PE of your protective system (with egg) at 50 cm increments from zero to five meters. Graph your data.
- Test your device at 25 cm increments until your egg breaks.
- Using the graph you created in step 1, estimate the velocity at which your egg broke. Using the graph created in step 3, determine the amount of PE it took to break your egg.
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| Mission Debrief |
- Based on your results, beyond what velocity would you warn users of your egg protection structure not to exceed?
- How does this experiment relate to Vasily’s research?
- Compare your design with the designs of others in your classroom. Identify designs that performed well, and explain why you think they worked well. Consider designs that did not perform well, and suggest ways in which they could be improved.
 | Journal Question
Explain how researchers like Dr. Titov use mathematical models to help save lives and protect property. | |
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