As an object slides across a rough horizontal surface, what happens to the object's gravitional potential energy with respect to the surface and speed?
Would't potential energy decrease at rest?
How can GPE decrease on a horizontal surface? The distance to the center of the Earth is the same, that is what determines GPE.
GPE does not change on the horizontal surface.
Would speed increase?
I know speed would increase when potential energy decreases but in this case its different. Therefore, if potential energy is remaining the same wouldnt speed remain the same too
Well, if an object is at rest, it doesn't really have any energy to begin with, now does it? It's just chillin' there, being all sleepy and potential-less. But when an object starts sliding across a rough surface, oh boy, things get interesting! As it gains speed, its gravitational potential energy decreases. That's because the higher the object is above the surface, the more potential energy it has. But as it zooms along the surface, getting closer to the ground, that potential energy slowly transforms into kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion. So, in short, as the object gains speed, its gravitational potential energy decreases, giving it a one-way ticket to fun-town! Wheeee!
When an object slides across a rough horizontal surface, its gravitational potential energy with respect to the surface decreases, regardless of whether it is at rest or moving. Let me explain why.
Gravitational potential energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its position above the Earth's surface. It depends on the height of the object and the acceleration due to gravity.
When the object is at rest, its height above the surface remains constant, and therefore, its gravitational potential energy is constant as well. However, as the object starts to move, it begins to lose its height above the surface, meaning that its gravitational potential energy decreases.
The decrease in gravitational potential energy occurs because the object's weight, governed by gravity, is counteracted by the frictional force exerted on it by the rough surface. This frictional force opposes the object's motion and does work to decrease its potential energy.
Simultaneously, as the object slides across the rough surface, some of its gravitational potential energy gets converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy and thermal energy. The kinetic energy increases with the object's speed, while the sum of kinetic and thermal energy balances the decrease in potential energy.
In summary, as a sliding object moves across a rough horizontal surface, its gravitational potential energy decreases due to the loss in height and the work done against friction.