An object falls through the air, gaining speed as it falls. A student claims that this create new energy and so it breaks the law of conservation by energy which statement describes why the student is correct
The student is incorrect in claiming that the object falling through the air creates new energy, which would break the law of conservation of energy. According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed. In the case of the falling object, as it gains speed, its potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. The increase in kinetic energy is equal to the decrease in potential energy, thus maintaining the total energy of the system. Therefore, no new energy is created, and the law of conservation of energy is upheld.
The student is incorrect in claiming that the falling object gaining speed creates new energy and breaks the law of conservation of energy. The law of conservation of energy states that the total amount of energy in a closed system remains constant over time.
When an object falls through the air, it experiences an increase in its kinetic energy as its speed increases. However, this increase in kinetic energy is balanced by a decrease in potential energy. As the object falls, it loses potential energy due to its change in height, and this loss of potential energy is converted into an equivalent gain in kinetic energy.
Therefore, the total energy (the sum of kinetic and potential energy) of the falling object remains constant, complying with the law of conservation of energy. No new energy is created; the energy is simply transferred and redistributed between the object's kinetic and potential energy.
The student's claim that the falling object creates new energy and thus breaks the law of conservation of energy is incorrect. The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transferred or converted from one form to another.
When an object falls through the air, it gains speed due to the gravitational force acting on it. As the object moves lower, it loses potential energy (energy stored due to its position) and gains kinetic energy (energy associated with its motion). This conversion of energy from potential to kinetic occurs without creating or destroying any energy. The total energy of the object (the sum of its potential and kinetic energy) remains constant throughout the fall.
If the student still insists that new energy is being created, it may be helpful to explain that what they may be observing is an increase in the rate at which energy is being transferred or converted from one form to another. The object's acceleration due to gravity causes an increase in its speed and mechanical energy. However, this increase in energy is a result of the object's interaction with its environment rather than the creation of new energy.