Bungee Energy
Bungee Energy: Teacher’s Guide
This simulates a bungee jump. The student can adjust the length of the bungee cord (too long and the
person crashes). The simulation shows the gravitational and elastic potential energy as well as the kinetic
energy. This packet includes a Teacher’s Guide and Student Worksheet.
Concepts:
Potential energy: gravitational and elastic
Kinetic energy
Bar charts
Conservation of energy
Materials (for each group):
iPad with EjsS Reader
Student Worksheet
Estimated time: 45 min
Credits: Original simulation by Micheal Gallis. Modified by Anne J Cox.
Curriculum by Anne J Cox and Laura Fauver.
Bungee Energy 1 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
Name _____Teacher’s Guide______________________________ Date ________________________
Bungee Energy: Worksheet
Key Topic/Concept: Mechanical Energy
Materials: iPad, Worksheet
This simulation shows a crash-test dummy on a bungee jump. You can change the length of the
bungee cord. In the simulation, the length of the bungee is represented by the variable “L0”.
1. Run the simulation for different lengths of the bungee cord. If the cord is too long the
dummy crashes. For what range of lengths does the dummy crash? ___>5m________
2. Run the simulation for L0 = 1m. Record the following information:
Kinetic Gravitational Spring Total Mechanical
Dummy location
Energy Potential Energy Potential Energy Energy (calculate)
Top of jump 0kJ 7kJ 0kJ 7kJ
Bottom of jump 0kJ 4kJ 3kJ 7kJ
During fall, just as 0.5kJ 6.5kJ 0kJ 7kJ
red arrow appears
Note: The red arrow shows the force from the bungee cord, so just before it starts to appear, the
bungee (spring) is beginning to pull on the dummy.
3. Use the data above to make a pie chart of total mechanical energy for the following positions of the
dummy. Choose a color to represent each type of energy:
= Kinetic Energy =Gravitational Potential Energy =Spring Potential Energy
Dummy at Top Dummy at bottom Dummy just when red arrow
appears
Total Energy Total Energy Total Energy
Bungee Energy 2 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
4. Repeat for the longest bungee length (L0) for a safe jump (no red cross sign): L0=___5m_______
Kinetic Gravitational Spring Total Mechanical
Dummy location
Energy Potential Energy Potential Energy Energy (calculate)
Top of jump 0kJ 7kJ 0kJ 7kJ
Bottom of jump 0kJ 1kJ 6kJ 7kJ
During fall, just as 2.5kJ 4.5kJ 0kJ 7kJ
red arrow appears
5. Use the data above to make a pie chart of total mechanical energy for the following positions of the
dummy. Choose a color to represent each type of energy:
= Kinetic Energy =Gravitational Potential Energy =Spring Potential Energy
Dummy at Top Dummy at bottom Dummy just when red arrow
appears
Total Energy Total Energy Total Energy
6. Compare your two sets of data by answering each of the following questions in a complete sentence.
a) In each jump, how did the total mechanical energy change?
____Total energy was the same for both jumps.________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b) Was the total mechanical energy for the L0= 1m and the L0 = max the same or different? Why?
_____ Total energy was the same for both jumps.___________________________________
c) At the bottom of each jump (L0=1m and L0=max), which jump had the biggest kinetic energy? Explain.
Bungee Energy 3 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
_______ For both jumps, the kinetic energy at the bottom is zero.___________________
________________________________________________________________________
d) At the bottom of each jump, which jump had the biggest gravitational potential energy? Explain.
________ The bottom of the jump, biggest gravitational potential energy for the 1m jump._
e) At the bottom of each jump, which jump had the biggest spring potential energy? Explain.
_________ The biggest spring potential energy at the bottom was for the 5m jump.__
________________________________________________________________________
f) At the point when the red arrow appeared (as the spring was starting to pull), which jump had the
biggest kinetic energy? Explain.
_________ The kinetic energy when the red arrow shows up is biggest for the 5m jump._
________________________________________________________________________
g) At the point where the red arrow appeared, which jump had the biggest gravitational potential
energy? Explain.
__________ The gravitational potential energy is biggest for the 1m jump.________
________________________________________________________________________
h) At the point where the red arrow appeared, which jump had the biggest spring potential energy?
Explain.
_______________The spring potential energy is zero when the red arrow appears in both._
________________________________________________________________________
7. Most people would find the jump with a larger L0 (max L0) more exciting because you go further and
faster. The total energy of both jumps is the same, so it is more exciting because there is a greater
amount of energy that goes into increasing your speed. Because speed is increasing, what type of
energy is increasing?
a) Kinetic energy b) Gravitational potential energy c) Spring potential energy
Bungee Energy 4 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
8. Look at the two charts below of a jump paused at exactly the same height (halfway up the ladder).
Jump 1 Jump 2
Which jump will be more exciting? Explain you reasoning in a complete sentence.
______Jump 1 would be more exciting because the kinetic energy is greater._______
______________________________________________________________________
Bungee Energy 5 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
Name ________________________________________________ Date ________________________
Bungee Energy: Student Worksheet
Key Topic/Concept: Mechanical Energy
Materials: iPad, Worksheet
This simulation shows a crash-test dummy on a bungee jump. You can change the length of the
bungee cord. In the simulation, the length of the bungee is represented by the variable “L0”.
1. Run the simulation for different lengths of the bungee cord. If the cord is too long the
dummy crashes. For what range of lengths does the dummy crash? ________________
2. Run the simulation for L0 = 1m. Record the following information:
Kinetic Gravitational Spring Total Mechanical
Dummy location
Energy Potential Energy Potential Energy Energy (calculate)
Top of jump
Bottom of jump
During fall, just as
red arrow appears
Note: The red arrow shows the force from the bungee cord, so just before it starts to
appear, the bungee (spring) is beginning to pull on the dummy.
3. Use the data above to make a pie chart of total mechanical energy for the following
positions of the dummy. Choose a color to represent each type of energy:
= Kinetic Energy =Gravitational Potential Energy =Spring Potential Energy
Dummy at Top Dummy at bottom Dummy just when red arrow
appears
Total Energy Total Energy Total Energy
Bungee Energy 1 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
4. Repeat for the longest bungee length (L0) for a safe jump (no red cross sign):
L0=_______________
Kinetic Gravitational Spring Total Mechanical
Dummy location
Energy Potential Energy Potential Energy Energy (calculate)
Top of jump
Bottom of jump
During fall, just as
red arrow appears
5. Use the data above to make a pie chart of total mechanical energy for the following
positions of the dummy. Choose a color to represent each type of energy:
= Kinetic Energy =Gravitational Potential Energy =Spring Potential Energy
Dummy at Top Dummy at bottom Dummy just when red arrow
appears
Total Energy Total Energy Total Energy
6. Compare your two sets of data by answering each of the following questions in a
complete sentence.
a) In each jump, how did the total mechanical energy change?
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Bungee Energy 2 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
b) Was the total mechanical energy for the L0= 1m and the L0 = max the same or different?
Why?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
c) At the bottom of each jump (L0=1m and L0=max), which jump had the biggest kinetic
energy? Explain.
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
d) At the bottom of each jump, which jump had the biggest gravitational potential energy?
Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
e) At the bottom of each jump, which jump had the biggest spring potential energy?
Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
f) At the point when the red arrow appeared (as the spring was starting to pull), which
jump had the biggest kinetic energy? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
g) At the point where the red arrow appeared, which jump had the biggest gravitational
potential energy? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
h) At the point where the red arrow appeared, which jump had the biggest spring potential
energy? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Bungee Energy 3 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
7. Most people would find the jump with a larger L0 (max L0) more exciting because you
go further and faster. The total energy of both jumps is the same, so it is more exciting
because there is a greater amount of energy that goes into increasing your speed.
Because speed is increasing, what type of energy is increasing?
b) Kinetic energy b) Gravitational potential energy c) Spring potential energy
8. Look at the two charts below of a jump paused at exactly the same height (halfway up
the ladder).
Jump 1 Jump 2
Which jump will be more exciting? Explain you reasoning in a complete sentence.
___________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Bungee Energy 4 Cox & Fauver
© 2015
Appendix: Using EjsS Reader Free App
Once you have downloaded the App on your device, to find the resources used, you need to find them
by clicking on the cloud at the top of the screen:
From there, you will see some Digital Libraries:
Choose the Eckerd College Library and open the Physical Science -> Energy folder. Click on the
simulation you want and then click the download icon.
Bungee Energy Cox & Fauver
© 2015
