Unit 2: Energy and Thermodynamics

Instructional Resources

OAS-S:  PH.PS1.8, PH.PS3.1, PH.PS3.2,  PH.PS3.3,  PH.PS3.4

Bundled Standards Analysis: Energy and Thermodynamics  

Driving Question

• How do we get energy from a nuclear power station?

Essential Questions

• How can mathematical models be used to describe the conservation of energy of a system of objects?

• How can energy at the macroscopic scale be explained by interactions between particles at the microscopic scale?

• How does energy flow and what limits the amount of energy transfer that will occur?

• How can changes in the nuclei of atoms account for energy changes at the macroscopic scale?

• Where do we get our energy and how do we convert it to a form that’s usable?

Examples of Student-Developed Initial Questions

• What makes atoms different from one another?

• Do atoms store energy?

• What’s going on when one object is warming another object? 

• Can objects keep reheating one another forever? 

Prior Knowledge

Each dimension in the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science grows in complexity and sophistication across the grades. To learn more about the prior knowledge and skills students have developed in previous grades associated with the standards in this bundle, check out the links below.

Science and Engineering Practices 

Disciplinary Core Ideas 

Crosscutting Concepts 

Science and engineering practices (SEP) in Physics build on K-8 experiences. This bundle of standards engages students with the following SEPs: 

• Developing and Using Models
• Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
• Designing Solutions
• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Disciplinary core ideas (DCI) in Physics build on K-8 experiences. This bundle of standards explores the following areas:

• Nuclear Processes
• Definitions of Energy
• Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
• Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
• Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology

Crosscutting concepts (CCC) in Physics build on K-8 experiences. This bundle of standards leverages the following ways of thinking about science ideas: 

• Energy and Matter
• Systems and System Models

Launch Task: Phenomena Ideas

Phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe and that we can use our science knowledge to explain or predict. Engineering involves designing solutions to problems that arise from phenomena and using explanations of phenomena to design solutions. Instructional sequences are more coherent when students investigate phenomena or design problems by engaging in science and engineering practices. Read this STEM Teaching Tool Brief #28 to learn more about the characteristics of a good phenomenon or design problem for anchoring student learning.

Each phenomenon below includes teacher information resources (e.g., information about the phenomenon, data resources, videos, simulations, etc.). Due to the length or accessibility of the content, teachers should screen the resources and pull sections, photos, quotes, and data that are appropriate for Physics students to ask questions, investigate, analyze, describe, evaluate, etc.

Phenomenon: Oklahoma’s energy comes from a variety of sources. 

Energy that Oklahoman’s use comes from a variety of energy sources and is transformed into useful forms of energy through many different processes. Educators can provide Sankey energy flow charts from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for students to explore the main sources of energy used in Oklahoma and theorize about the different processes that transform this energy into different forms. (Note: Sankey does provide a guide to assist with ready flow charts). Students can also find maps of energy resources from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and identify what forms of energy are produced in their local region.

Phenomenon: While swimming outdoors on a hot day, people can feel cold as soon as they get out of the water.

The temperature of water in a pool on a hot day can feel uncomfortably cold even though it may be warmer than typical pool water temperatures. Educators can direct students to learn the effects of more extreme cases of temperature differences as described in an article by the Mayo Clinic on hypothermia. An additional resource is the recommendation of acceptable ranges of swimming pool water temperatures by the U.S. Masters Swimming and compare these to historical temperature data for Oklahoma lakes and rivers. Using student’s personal experience and other resources, educators can help guide students to develop a model that accounts for the direction of energy flow in a system of objects of multiple temperatures. 

Phenomenon: Nuclear power plants transform energy into useable forms. 

Nuclear energy is the energy that holds together the nucleus of an atom. There is a large amount of energy in an atom’s nucleus that can be used to create electricity through the use of nuclear power plants (e.g.,, Oak Ridge Institute: The Harnessed Atom). Educators can show students images, videos of how a nuclear plant works, and/or text resources (e.g., atoms to electricity, power reactors, how nuclear reactors work) to develop models (e.g., pictures, diagrams) of how energy at the macroscopic scale (e.g., electricity) can be accounted for as motions of particles (e.g., breakdown of an atom’s nucleus). Educators can extend this phenomenon to other examples of devices that are based on the conservation and transformation of energy in a system, such as wind turbines, solar cells, solar ovens, and Rube Goldberg machines. Students can develop models and design devices using these examples to identify different forms of energy exhibited, relationship between energy observations at the macroscale and the microscale (e.g., motions of particles or energy stored in fields), and where in the systems energy transfers have taken place.

Engagement Strategies 

• Educators can leverage the Student Actions and Teacher Actions found in the Energy and Thermodynamics bundled standards analysis for specific ways of engaging students with these science ideas.

• This example of a secondary science cycle of learning can support educators in developing coherent sequences of learning.
   

• Using Anchoring phenomena provides students with opportunities to apply science and engineering practices while learning scientific concepts. More strategies that support students with figuring out science ideas can be found within the Science Engagement Strategies section of the Framework. 

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

In science and engineering, evidence-based effective instruction focuses on students engaging in science and engineering investigations and design to explain phenomena or develop solutions to a problem. This section reflects a science cycle of learning that supports implementing the identified standards within this unit.

"What It Looks Like in the Classroom" is broken into Narrative Parts, written around the different Essential Questions listed at the top. Each Narrative Part includes examples for how to integrate the science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts for each standard, and includes examples of evidence teachers can gather from students that provides information about what they do and do not understand.

Narrative Part 1 of 2

Essential Question: How can mathematical models be used to describe the conservation of energy of a system of objects? How can energy at the macroscopic scale be explained by interactions between particles at the microscopic scale? How does energy flow and what limits the amount of energy transfer that will occur?

OAS-S:

PH.PS3.1 Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.

PH.PS3.2 Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as either motions of particles or energy stored in fields.

PH.PS3.4 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy between components in a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).

 3-Dimensional Narrative

Evidence of Understanding 

Provide students with opportunities to investigate the nature of energy transfers (both qualitatively and quantitatively) using a phenomenon.

Students can explore energy in systems through the use of different phenomena (e.g., roller coasters, a skate park, condensation on a cup, hot coffee cup). During their investigations, students can gather observational data that includes identifying all the components of the system and the surroundings, energy flows between the system and surroundings, and the macroscopic forms of energy (e.g., motion, sound, light, thermal, potential, energy in fields). 

Educators can assist students with developing models (e.g., diagrams, drawings, descriptions, computer simulations) of the system (phenomenon) by using their observational data (macroscopic evidence) and connecting it with microscopic particle interactions. Simulations (e.g., solid to solid, liquid to solid, gas to solid, and solids connected by assorted materials) can be used to illustrate how energy transfers may occur in the observed system, contributing to the cause of their macroscopic observations. Students can revise their models to include energy at the molecular level, such as motions (kinetic energy) of particles (e.g., atoms and molecules), and the relative positions of particles in fields (potential energy). 

Students can then describe the relationships between components in their models. This can include that changes in the relative positions of objects in gravitational, magnetic, or electrostatic fields can affect the energy of the fields (e.g., charged objects moving away from each other change the field energy); the total energy of the system and surroundings is conserved at a macroscopic and microscopic level; and as one form of energy increases, others decrease by the same amount as energy is transferred among and between objects and fields. 

Once students have qualitatively connected energy at the macroscopic scale with motions of particles and their relative positions, educators can assist students with developing a computational model to quantitatively track energy flows in and out of a system. Students can use algebraic descriptions (PE_initial+ KE_initial = PE_final+ KE_final) of the initial and final energy states of a system, along with the energy flows, to create their computational model (e.g., spreadsheet, simulation) that is based on the principle of the conservation of energy. Students use the computational model to calculate changes in the energy of one component of the system when changes in the energy of the other components and the energy flows are known. Students can also use their computational model to predict the maximum possible change in the energy of one component of the system for a given set of energy flows. Mathematical expressions, which quantify how the stored energy in a system depends on its configuration (e.g., relative positions of charge particles, compression of a spring) and how kinetic energy depends on mass and speed, allow the concept of conservation of energy to be used to predict and describe system behavior. 

• Data is used to identify systems in which different forms of energy are transferred and total energy is conserved. 

• Models illustrate an interaction and how energy is transferred within a system. 

• Models show that energy is conserved in a closed system.

• Models illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as either motions of particles or energy stored in fields.

• Mathematical models identify the energy inputs and/or outputs in a system.

• Mathematical models can calculate unknown values from known values. 

• Explanations use mathematical and computational thinking to accurately describe that energy is a property of a system and depends on the motion and interaction of the parts of a system.

• Explanation uses a model to show that the total amount of energy contained within a system will limit what can occur within that system.

Provide opportunities for students to explore and investigate thermal energy transfers among objects in a closed system.

Educators can have students reflect on their experiences swimming in a cold body of water or getting into a hot bath, asking “How did that experience feel?”, “What objects changed temperature?”, or “What parts of this experience would make up the system if we were to study what is happening?” While this example is of an open system, students can investigate similar thermal energy changes in a closed system (e.g., coffee cup in a thermos, adding objects at different temperatures to water). To plan for an investigation, students can describe the purpose of their investigation (e.g., the idea that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperatures are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform distribution among the components oft he system), and what data will be collected (e.g., initial and final temperatures, heat capacity, masses of all components in the system). Student investigation plans can also include how a nearly closed system will be constructed (e.g., coffee cup with lid) and the experimental procedure (e.g., how is the data collected, the number of trials, experimental setup).

During the investigation, students collect and record data that can be used to calculate the change in thermal energy of each of the two components of the system. Educators can help students use their observations to construct a model of heat transfer at the microscopic level (where objects are in contact with one another). These models, along with the quantitative data, can be used to describe how the measurement of the reduction of temperature of the hot object and the increase in temperature of the cold object provide evidence that the thermal energy lost by the hot object is equal to the thermal energy gained by the cold object, and that the distribution of thermal energy is more uniform after the interaction of the hot and cold components. 

After their investigations, students can evaluate their plans, including the accuracy and precision of the data collected and limitations of the investigation. Students can identify potential causes of the apparent loss of energy from a closed system (which should be zero in an ideal system) and adjust the design of the experiment accordingly. 

• Investigation plans describe the purpose, experimental set up/procedure, and data to be collected.

• Models show that energy is conserved in a closed system.

• Analysis of data provides evidence that, in a closed system, the transfer of thermal energy from a hot object is equal to the thermal energy gained by the cold object.

Narrative Part 2 of 2

Essential Question: How can changes in the nuclei of atoms account for energy changes at the macroscopic scale? Where do we get our energy and how do we convert it to a form that’s usable? How can mathematical models be used to describe the conservation of energy of a system of objects?

OAS-S: 

PH.PS1.8 Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.

PH.PS3.1 Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.

PH.PS3.3 Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.*

3-Dimensional Narrative

Evidence of Understanding

Introduce a phenomenon and ask students to share their initial ideas or questions for explaining the phenomenon.

Educators can provide data (e.g., Sankey diagrams) for students to analyze and describe energy resources for a particular location (e.g., Oklahoma). Student analysis of data can include identifying types of energy in the system, energy inputs and outputs, and where energy transformations are occurring in the system. Students can share their initial observations and questions about the amount of energy entering and leaving the system.

After exploring the different types of energy resources, educators can support students with investigating a specific example of an energy transfer device (e.g., wind turbines, solar cells, nuclear power plants). Through their investigations, students can develop initial models to illustrate energy inputs, outputs, and transfers within that system. 

• Analysis of data identifies where different forms of energy are transferred in the system. 

• Analysis of data identifies a system’s initial and final energies, and that the total energy is conserved.

• Initial models illustrate energy flow into, out of, and within that system.

Provide students opportunities to gather data or information to explain causes of the phenomenon.

Students can investigate nuclear energy (e.g., nuclear power plants, the Sun, nuclear medicine) to explore how energy from nuclear processes (e.g., radioactive decay, fission, fusion) is transformed into usable sources. Once students have identified the type of nuclear processes involved in the selected nuclear energy source, students can use simulations (such as alpha decay, beta decay, fission) and/or articles (e.g., CDC radiation studies) to gather data on that nuclear process. Data can include identification of an element by the number of protons, the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus before and after the nuclear process, identity of the emitted particles, types of energy involved, and where energy is released or absorbed during the process. Students can use their data to develop models that illustrate the relationship between the components in the system for that nuclear process, including that the total number of neutrons plus protons is the same both before and after the nuclear process (although the total number of protons and total number of neutrons may be different before and after), and the scale of energy released during the nuclear process relative to other kinds of transformations. 

Educators can provide students with scientific resources (e.g., nuclear energy fact sheet) to allow students to research the scale of energy released in nuclear processes.  

• Models illustrate how nuclear processes alter the nucleus of an atom while conserving the total number of protons and neutrons.

• Models illustrate the scale of energy that is released or absorbed during fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.

Introduce a design challenge and associated constraints, then ask students to share their initial ideas/questions for solving the problem.

Educators can introduce a real-world problem (e.g., access to electricity) that can be solved through developing a technological system. Students can use the engineering processes to design and build a device that solves this problem by converting energy from one form to another. To support students with brainstorming ideas for devices, educators can share current solutions to similar problems (e.g., Rube Goldberg devices, wind turbines, solar cells, solar ovens, generators). 

Educators can introduce criteria and constraints for devices, including the cost of materials, types of materials available, having to use certain types of energy (e.g., motion, sound, light, thermal), an efficiency threshold, and time to build and/or operate the device. 

Student design plans can include identifying the forms of energy that will be converted from one form to another, identify what scientific ideas provide the basis for the energy conversion design, identify losses of energy by the design to the surrounding environment, scientific rationale for choices of materials and structure of the device, and how this device can increase benefits for society while decreasing costs and risks. 

• Designs apply scientific ideas for converting one form of energy into another to solve a real-world problem.

• Design meets identified criteria and constraints for the challenge.

Provide students opportunities to research the problem, draft solutions/prototypes, test, and evaluate design solutions.

Students share their design solution with peers, including quantitative estimates of energy transformed by their device, and make revisions based on feedback. Students can build and test their device according to the plan, then evaluate its performance against the determined criteria and constraints. Students can refine their device based on the results of the tests to improve its efficiency of energy conversion.

• Device works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

• Design is revised to demonstrate efficiency of energy conversion.