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
The student is incorrect because the object's increase in speed as it falls is due to a conversion of potential energy (stored energy due to height) into kinetic energy (energy of motion), which does not violate the law of conservation of energy. The total energy of the system (potential energy + kinetic energy) remains constant.
