An object falls through the air, gaining speed as it falls. A student claims that this creates new energy and so it breaks the law of conservation of energy. Which statement describes why the student is incorrect. Is it speed is not related to energy in anyway or energy is converted from other forms, not created, or energy can be created without breaking the law of conservation of energy or equal. An opposite amounts of other energy are also created.
The statement "energy is converted from other forms, not created" describes why the student is incorrect. According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another. In the case of the falling object, the potential energy it initially possesses is converted into kinetic energy as it gains speed while falling. The increase in speed does not create new energy; it is simply a result of the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy.
