Work and energy transfer Simulation
What the Simulation Shows
The simulation demonstrates the core GCSE Physics principle that work done equals energy transferred (W = F × d). It has four interactive scenarios students drag to control directly:
- Push Box — a person pushes a box across a floor; chemical energy from muscles transfers to the box’s kinetic store and the thermal store via friction
- Spring — dragging right compresses a spring, storing elastic potential energy (Ee = ½kx²); coils visibly tighten as energy builds
- Lift — an object is dragged upward, storing gravitational potential energy (Ep = mgh); release it and it falls back under gravity with a real physics-based acceleration
- Brake — a car decelerates from right to left; kinetic energy transfers almost entirely to thermal energy in the brakes, with a small sound component
Each scenario shows live energy bar transfers in the sidebar, a labelled equation panel on the canvas updating in real time, force arrows, distance measurements, and particle effects at energy-transfer points. Students control the force (10–200 N) and distance (1–10 m) with sliders, and the total work done updates instantly.
Class Activity: Energy Store Detectives
Objective: Students identify which energy stores are involved in each scenario and use W = F × d to calculate and predict energy transfers.
Duration: 20–30 minutes, pairs or small groups
Instructions:
- Predict first (5 min) — Before touching the simulation, give each student a prediction sheet. For each scenario, ask: Which energy store loses energy? Which gains it? What do you think happens to the “lost” energy?
- Explore (10 min) — Students open the simulation and drag through each scenario. Challenge them to:
- Set a force of 100 N and distance of 5 m — what is the work done?
- Change only the force to 200 N — how do the energy bars change? Why?
- In the Lift scene: drag the object to maximum height, then release. What happens to the gravitational PE?
- Record and calculate (8 min) — Students fill in a table: Scenario Force (N) Distance (m) W done (J) Energy store gained Energy “wasted” Push Spring Lift Brake
- Discussion questions (5 min):
- Which scenario wastes the least energy? Why? (Spring — nearly 98% to elastic PE)
- In braking, where does the “lost” kinetic energy go? Is energy actually lost?
- What would happen to the Lift scenario on the Moon where g = 1.6 m/s²?
Extension: Ask students to sketch their own energy store diagram (Sankey-style arrows) for one scenario at a force and distance of their choosing, labelling the joule values from the simulation.