d. What is happening to kinetic energy as the ball is falling? (1 point)
• Kinetic energy is decreasing.
• Kinetic energy is increasing.
• Kinetic energy is staying the same.
O It is impossible to tell.
As the ball is falling, its height is decreasing while its velocity is increasing. Since kinetic energy is directly proportional to both the mass and the square of the velocity, the kinetic energy of the ball is increasing. Therefore, the correct answer is: Kinetic energy is increasing.
To determine what is happening to the kinetic energy of a falling ball, we need to understand the concept of kinetic energy and how it is related to the motion of an object.
Kinetic energy is the energy of an object due to its motion. It depends on the mass of the object and its velocity. The formula for kinetic energy is KE = 1/2 * m * v^2, where m represents the mass of the object and v represents its velocity.
Now, as the ball is falling, we can observe that its velocity is increasing due to the acceleration caused by gravity. This means that the value of v in the kinetic energy equation is getting larger. Since kinetic energy is directly proportional to velocity squared, an increase in velocity will result in a greater increase in kinetic energy.
Therefore, the correct answer is: The kinetic energy is increasing as the ball is falling.