Explain the energy transformations during skydiving?
please note: that I need to EXPLAIN!!!
Thank you very much in advance...your help is very much appreciated!! x
You explain it, I will be happy to critique. He starts out with PE and KE, that PE and KE is converted to KE falling and friction energy in the air.
During skydiving, there are several energy transformations that take place. Let's start from the beginning:
1. Potential Energy (Before jumping): When a person is standing on a height, such as an airplane, they possess potential energy. Potential energy is the energy an object has due to its position or height. In this case, it is the energy associated with the person's height above the ground.
2. Kinetic Energy (During freefall): As the person jumps out of the airplane, potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy associated with the motion of an object. As the skydiver accelerates due to the force of gravity, their potential energy decreases while their kinetic energy increases. This conversion happens because the person's height decreases, but their speed and motion increase.
3. Air Resistance (During freefall): As the skydiver falls, they are affected by air resistance. Air resistance is a force that opposes the motion of an object as it moves through the air. It acts in the opposite direction to the velocity of the falling object. As the skydiver's speed increases, so does the air resistance. This resistance affects the rate at which the skydiver's kinetic energy is converted into other forms of energy.
4. Thermal Energy (Due to air resistance): When the skydiver experiences air resistance, some of their kinetic energy is transformed into thermal energy. Thermal energy is the energy associated with the motion of atoms and molecules in a substance. As the skydiver moves through the air, the friction between their body and the air molecules causes an increase in temperature.
5. Potential Energy (At parachute deployment): Once the skydiver reaches a certain altitude or distance from the ground, they deploy their parachute. As the parachute opens, potential energy is restored. The parachute creates a substantial amount of drag, slowing down the skydiver's descent. The increase in drag reduces their kinetic energy and converts it back into potential energy.
Overall, the energy transformations during skydiving involve a conversion from potential energy to kinetic energy, followed by a combination of kinetic energy converted into thermal energy and potential energy being replenished due to parachute deployment.