A ball sitting on the top of a table has potential energy but no kinetic energy.
How do potential and kinetic energy change as the ball falls off the table to the floor?
A. Its potential energy increases, and its kinetic energy decreases.
B. Its potential energy decreases, and its kinetic energy increases.
C. Both its potential energy and its kinetic energy increase.
D. Both its potential energy and its kinetic energy decrease.
To understand how potential and kinetic energy change as the ball falls off the table to the floor, let's first define what potential and kinetic energy are.
Potential energy refers to the energy an object possesses due to its position or state. In this case, the ball on the table has potential energy because it is positioned at a height above the ground.
Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is the energy of motion. When the ball falls off the table, it starts moving and gains kinetic energy.
Now let's analyze the options:
A. Its potential energy increases, and its kinetic energy decreases.
This would not be correct because as the ball falls, its potential energy decreases due to the decrease in height, while its kinetic energy increases as it gains motion.
B. Its potential energy decreases, and its kinetic energy increases.
This is the correct answer. As the ball falls, its potential energy decreases because the height decreases. At the same time, its kinetic energy increases because it gains motion.
C. Both its potential energy and its kinetic energy increase.
This option is incorrect because the potential energy decreases as the ball falls.
D. Both its potential energy and its kinetic energy decrease.
This option is also incorrect because the potential energy decreases while the kinetic energy increases.
Therefore, the correct answer is B. The ball's potential energy decreases, and its kinetic energy increases as it falls off the table to the floor.