In an investigation of potential and kinetic energy, a student stands at the top of a hill and pushes a ball down the hill as shown.
How does the potential and kinetic energy of the ball change as the ball rolls down the hill?
(1 point)
Responses
The potential energy of the ball decreases, and the kinetic energy of the ball increases.
The potential energy of the ball decreases, and the kinetic energy of the ball increases.
The potential energy of the ball increases, and the kinetic energy of the ball decreases.
The potential energy of the ball increases, and the kinetic energy of the ball decreases.
The potential and kinetic energy of the ball both decrease.
The potential and kinetic energy of the ball both decrease.
The potential and kinetic energy of the ball both increase.
The potential and kinetic energy of the ball both increase.
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The potential energy of the ball decreases, and the kinetic energy of the ball increases.
The potential energy of the ball decreases, and the kinetic energy of the ball increases.
The correct answer is:
The potential energy of the ball decreases, and the kinetic energy of the ball increases.
To understand why, let's break down the concept of potential and kinetic energy.
Potential energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its position or condition. In this case, when the ball is at the top of the hill, it has a high potential energy because it is in a position where it can potentially gain a lot of kinetic energy by rolling down the hill.
Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion. As the ball starts rolling down the hill, its potential energy decreases because it is moving away from its initial high position on the hill. At the same time, its kinetic energy increases because it is gaining speed and motion as it rolls down.
So, to summarize, as the ball rolls down the hill, its potential energy decreases (because it is moving away from its initial high position) and its kinetic energy increases (because it is gaining speed and motion).