Theme: A whimsical tea brewing system.
Goal: To automatically brew a cup of tea using a series of interconnected actions.
Materials:
Diagram & Energy Transfer:
(1) Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy: A marble (possessing potential energy due to its height on the ramp) is released, converting its potential energy into kinetic energy as it rolls down the ramp.
(2) Kinetic Energy to Mechanical Energy: The marble strikes a lever, transferring its kinetic energy into mechanical energy. This lever action could be designed to:
* **Option A (Direct):** Directly lift a small bucket containing water, raising it to a higher potential energy state.
* **Option B (Indirect):** Trigger a domino effect, ultimately leading to the lifting of the bucket. The dominoes convert kinetic energy into mechanical energy as they fall.
(3) Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy (again): The raised bucket of water (now possessing potential energy) is released, converting its potential energy into kinetic energy as it falls.
(4) Kinetic Energy to Mechanical Energy (again): The falling bucket pulls a string attached to a pulley system. The kinetic energy of the falling bucket is transferred into the mechanical energy of the rotating pulley.
(5) Mechanical Energy to Potential Energy: The pulley system lifts the kettle, raising it to a higher potential energy state.
(6) Potential Energy to Thermal Energy: The raised kettle is then triggered (perhaps by a spring mechanism activated by the pulley system) to pour water into a cup containing a tea bag. The potential energy of the water is converted into thermal energy as it heats up (assuming the kettle is pre-heated).
(7) Thermal Energy to Chemical Energy (and back to Thermal): The hot water steeps the tea bag, transferring thermal energy to the tea leaves, initiating a chemical reaction that releases flavor compounds. The tea then cools, slowly releasing thermal energy to the surroundings.
(8) Mechanical Energy to Potential Energy (final): A final, smaller lever system, activated by the weight of the full teacup, could trigger a small flag or bell to signal that the tea is ready.
Detailed Energy Transfer Diagram: The diagram should visually represent each step above. Use arrows to show the direction of energy transfer, labeling each stage with the type of energy involved (Potential, Kinetic, Mechanical, Thermal, Chemical). You can use different colors for each energy type for clarity. Include annotations explaining how the energy is transferred at each stage (e.g., "Marble's kinetic energy transfers to lever's mechanical energy"). The diagram should be detailed enough to clearly illustrate the energy transformations throughout the entire process. Consider using a flowchart-style diagram for better visualization.