Which object has potential energy?
a
a person walking down the street
b
a car moving down the interstate
c
an acorn sitting on top of a roof
d
a soccer ball rolling across a field
The object that has potential energy is (c) an acorn sitting on top of a roof. Potential energy is energy that is stored within an object and has the potential to do work if it were released or allowed to move. In this case, the acorn has potential energy due to its position or height above the ground which gives it the potential to fall and do work as it moves toward the earth.
The object that has potential energy in this list is option (c), an acorn sitting on top of a roof.
Potential energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its position or configuration. It is the energy that an object has the potential to convert into other forms of energy. In this case, the acorn on top of the roof has the potential to fall down and convert its potential energy into kinetic energy as it moves.
To determine which object has potential energy, you can consider the following factors:
a) A person walking down the street: Although a person might have kinetic energy while walking, they do not possess potential energy in this scenario since potential energy is associated with an object's position or configuration.
b) A car moving down the interstate: Similar to the person walking, a car moving also possesses kinetic energy, but it does not have potential energy.
c) An acorn sitting on top of a roof: The acorn has potential energy because of its position above the ground. If it were to fall, it would convert its potential energy into kinetic energy.
d) A soccer ball rolling across a field: A rolling soccer ball possesses kinetic energy due to its motion, but it does not have potential energy associated with its position.
Therefore, the correct option is (c), an acorn sitting on top of a roof, as it has the potential to convert its potential energy into kinetic energy.