Conservation of Energy Energy in any isolated system is completely conserved. According to Physics for Scientists and Engineers: a strategic approach the Law of Conservation of Energy is the most powerful statement in physics. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that "the kinetic, potential, and thermal energy within the system can be transformed into each other, but their sum cannot change." (Knight, 2013, p. 295). Roller coasters are one of the most used explanation of the conservation of energy. Gravitational potential energy (Ug) is equal to mgh, m=mass in kilograms, g=gravity in meters/second^2, and h=height in meters. Kinetic energy (KE) is equal to (1/2)mv^2, m=mass in kilograms and v=velocity in meter/second. An important principle behind determining the height value used in the formula for gravitational potential energy is that the zero meters height of a system can be placed wherever as long as it is used as the zero (origin) throughout the system conserving energy. Below is an image showing the transformation of energy on a roller coaster.

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