1. Work and Energy
Suppose that a car traveled up three different roadways (each with varying incline angle or slope) from the base of a mountain to the summit of the mountain. Which path would require the most gasoline (or energy)? Would the steepest path (path AD) require the most gasoline or would the least steep path (path BD) require the most gasoline? Or would each path require the same amount of gasoline?

2. Energy Transformation for a Dart
Consider an ordinary dart projection from a toy dart gun and moving through the air. How could work and energy be utilized to analyze the motion of the dart? Would the total mechanical energy of the dart/gun system be altered when launched or while mvong through the air? Or would the total mechanical energy of the dart/gun merely be conserved?

3. Energy Conservation on an Incline
Consider an ordinary lab cart loaded with bricks and accelerating down an inclined plane. How could work and energy be utilized to analyze the motion of the loaded cart? Would the total mechanical energy of the cart be altered in the process of rolling down the incline? Or would the total mechanical energy of the cart merely be conserved?

4. Energy Transformation on a Roller Coaster
A roller coaster ride is a thrilling experience which involves a wealth of physics. Part of the physics of roller coaster is the physics of work and energy. The ride often begins with a chain and motor (or other mechanical device) exerting a force on the train of cars to lift the train to the top of a very tall hill. Once the cars are lifted to the top of the hill, gravity takes over and the remainder of the ride is an experience of the physics of energy transformation.

5. How High Will It Go?

6. Energy Transformation for a Pendulum
Since there are no external forces doing work, the total mechanical energy of the pendulum bob is conserved. The conservation of mechanical energy is demonstrated in the animation below. Observe the KE and PE bars of the bar chart; their sum is a constant value.

7. How Far Will It Skid?

8. Energy Transformation for Downhill Skiing
Along the inclined section of the run, the total mechanical energy of the skiier is conserved provided that:
there is a negligible amount of dissipative forces (such as air resistance and surface friction), and
the skiier does not utilize her poles to do work and thus contribute to her total amount of mechanical energy

9. Stopping Distance of a Hot Wheels Car