Percentage of total beginning GPE converted to thermal/kinetic energy

[linkme251]

1.
These are calculations for a roller coaster project where we had to find the height, GPE, velocity, KE, and total ME.
Question 1: what percentage of the total beginning GPE was converted to final kinetic energy?

Question 2: What percentage of the total beginning GPE was converted to thermal energy? (and what is thermal energy?)

I just need formulas, thanks.

 

[Delphi51]

Welcome to PF, Linkme.
You can find all the formulas here: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/enecon.html

Thermal energy is heat. Perhaps you have some friction in your coaster so you end up with less mechanical energy than you started with. The loss is in the form of heat.

 

[kerimek]

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I would like to clarify that GPE stands for gravitational potential energy and KE stands for kinetic energy. These are both forms of energy that can be converted from one to the other. Thermal energy is a form of energy that is related to the temperature of a system and is typically measured in joules (J). It is the energy associated with the movement of particles within a substance.

To answer question 1, the percentage of total beginning GPE converted to final kinetic energy can be calculated using the formula: (KE/total GPE) x 100%. This will give you the percentage of GPE that was converted to kinetic energy.

To answer question 2, the percentage of total beginning GPE converted to thermal energy can be calculated using the formula: (thermal energy/total GPE) x 100%. This will give you the percentage of GPE that was converted to thermal energy.

The formula for thermal energy (Q) is Q = m x c x ΔT, where m is the mass of the substance, c is the specific heat capacity of the substance, and ΔT is the change in temperature. This formula can be used to calculate the thermal energy produced from the conversion of GPE to thermal energy on the roller coaster.

I hope this helps with your project and understanding of energy conversions. Remember to always use correct units and check your calculations for accuracy.