What Causes these Differences in this Rain Crater?

The below animations show a drop of water that fell from different heights into sand made from very small beads of glass. Use what you observe to answer the questions that follow and be sure to think about them in terms of energy.
NGSS Phenomena: A drop of water falling into sand and making a small crater.
Water dropped at a height of 0.5 meters.
NGSS Phenomena: A drop of water falling into sand and splattering around to form a large and wide crater.
Water dropped from a height of 12 meters.

1. When the drop of water hits the sand, the energy that was stored in the water drop is to the sand.

2. The force that moved the drop of water into the sand is .

3. The water drop with the greatest potential energy before it was dropped was because it was .

Drag the answers below into the grey placeholders above

lifted higher against the pull of gravity
dropped from 12 meters
dropped at a higher speed
dropped from 0.5 meters
traveling the fastest when it hit the ground

4. How was energy transferred to the drop of water, before it was dropped?

5. Color in the graphs at the bottom of the image to show the levels of potential energy and kinetic energy in 2 situations:

1. Before the drop of water is let go

2. Right before the drop hits the ground

Draw an arrow in the upper part of the diagram to show the direction of the main force acting on the water drop.

Color

Width

6. Explain the thinking that you used in order to determine the change in the water drop’s kinetic and potential energy over time in the previous question. Be sure to include discussion of forces.

7. Draw a model in the space below to label the distance between the two objects before they were dropped.

Color

Width

8. Draw a model in the space below to show the forces that are acting on the drops of water, before they’re dropped. Make sure to label the names of the forces and use arrows to show the direction of each force.

Color

Width

9. Explain how your model shows the forces acting on the water drop before it's dropped.

Make sure to talk about the energy in the system! (hide hints)

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This fill in question aligns to the following standards

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

  • PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces

  • MS-PS3-2

This fill in question aligns to the following standards

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

  • PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces

This matching question aligns to the following standards

  • MS-PS3-2

  • Systems and System Models

  • PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • MS-PS3-2

  • PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

This drawing question aligns to the following standards

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

  • PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces

  • Developing and Using Models

  • Systems and System Models

  • MS-PS3-2

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

  • PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces

  • Developing and Using Models

  • Systems and System Models

  • MS-PS3-2

This drawing question aligns to the following standards

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

  • Developing and Using Models

  • Systems and System Models

  • MS-PS3-2

This drawing question aligns to the following standards

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

  • PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces

  • Developing and Using Models

  • MS-PS3-2

  • Systems and System Models

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • PS3.A: Definitions of Energy

  • PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces

  • Developing and Using Models

  • Systems and System Models

  • MS-PS3-2

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