a child sees an empty soda can resting on the icy surface of a frozen pond and throws a stone at it the stone hits the can which then slides across the ice decreasing in speed as it does so at the edge of the pond the can hits a pile of snow and stops.
which of the following would be the appropriate energy receiver in such an explanation
a.the child
b.the soda can
c.the ice
d.the pile of snow
NO! What does your text say about what propels an inanimate object into motion?
b. the soda can
In this scenario, the appropriate energy receiver would be:
d. the pile of snow.
When the stone hits the soda can, it transfers its kinetic energy to the can. As the can slides across the ice, it gradually loses its kinetic energy due to friction with the ice surface. Once it reaches the edge of the pond and hits the pile of snow, the can comes to a stop, and the pile of snow absorbs the remaining kinetic energy, acting as the energy receiver.
In this scenario, the appropriate energy receiver would be the pile of snow.
To understand why, let's break it down step by step:
1. The child throws a stone at the empty soda can. In this step, the child is the energy source because they provide the initial kinetic energy to the stone.
2. The stone hits the can. At this point, the can becomes the energy receiver since it receives the kinetic energy transferred from the stone. The can starts moving across the icy surface of the frozen pond.
3. As the can slides across the ice, it gradually decreases in speed. The ice, in this case, plays the role of an energy receiver because it provides the frictional force that gradually slows down the can's motion. It converts the kinetic energy of the moving can into thermal energy (heat) through friction with the can.
4. Eventually, the can reaches the edge of the pond and hits a pile of snow, which brings it to a complete stop. In this final step, the pile of snow acts as an energy receiver because it absorbs and dissipates the remaining kinetic energy of the can, causing it to stop.
So, given the options, the appropriate energy receiver would be d. the pile of snow.