ASPECt
Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation
Item RG065002: When a rubber band is stretched and then let go of, some elastic energy is converted into kinetic energy and some energy is also transferred to the surroundings.
A man uses his hands to stretch a rubber band. He lets go of the rubber band, and it flies across the room.
Is the amount of kinetic energy (motion energy) the rubber band has as it flies through the air equal to the amount of elastic energy it had while it was being stretched by the man?
- Yes, all of the elastic energy is converted into kinetic energy.
- No, when elastic energy is converted into kinetic energy, some energy is destroyed.
- No, when elastic energy is converted into kinetic energy, some energy is also transferred to the surroundings.
- Whether the kinetic energy is equal to the elastic energy depends on the type of material the rubber band is made up of.
- Distribution of Responses
- Scale Score for Item Difficulty
(200[Easy]-800[Difficult]) - 518
- Students Responding Correctly
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 603 | 1912 | 32% |
| Grades | |||
| 4–5 | 83 | 407 | 20% |
| 6–8 | 245 | 816 | 30% |
| 9–12 | 275 | 689 | 40% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 282 | 959 | 29% |
| Female | 311 | 922 | 34% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 543 | 1694 | 32% |
| Other | 48 | 168 | 29% |
- Disciplinary Core Ideas
- PS3.B Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat. When objects collide, energy can be transferred from one object to another, thereby changing their motion. In such collisions, some energy is typically also transferred to the surrounding air; as a result, the air gets heated and sound is produced.
PS3.D Although energy cannot be destroyed, it can be converted to less useful forms--for example, to thermal energy in the surrounding environment.