Energy Skate Park

Choose a track and press ▶ Start.
Controls
Click Place Flag, then click on the track to set a challenge target.

Energy Breakdown

0 J
KE
0 J
PE
0 J
Thermal
0 J
Total E
Speed
0.00 m/s
Height
0.00 m
KE
0 J
PE
0 J
Thermal
0 J
Total E
0 J

🎯 Challenge — Predict the Skater

Place a flag on the track, then predict whether the skater will reach it. Test your prediction!

No flag placed yet.

Energy Conservation on a Track

PE = mgh — gravitational potential energy grows with height. KE = ½mv² — the skater speeds up as PE converts to KE going downhill, and slows down going uphill.

Without friction the total energy bar stays perfectly constant — all PE converts to KE and back. With friction, mechanical energy decreases and thermal energy grows, reducing how high the skater can climb.

For the loop track: the skater needs starting height ≥ 2.5 × r above the loop bottom (~4.25 m) to maintain contact at the top. Try h = 4.5 m with μ = 0!