You are told 3 things...1. That there are two objects with equal masses. 2. Both objects are in motion. 3. One object has a greater kinetic energy than the other. How is this possible? (1 point)
Responses
One object is blue and one object is red.
One object is blue and one object is red.
One object has a greater density then the other object.
One object has a greater density then the other object.
One object has a greater speed than the other object.
One object has a greater speed than the other object.
One object has a greater volume than the other object.
One object has a greater speed than the other object.
One possible explanation for this scenario is that one object has a greater speed than the other object. The kinetic energy of an object is proportional to its mass and the square of its velocity. Therefore, if two objects have equal masses, but one object has a greater speed, it will have a greater kinetic energy.
The correct answer is: One object has a greater speed than the other object.
To understand why, let's break it down. Kinetic energy (KE) is given by the equation KE = 0.5 * m * v^2, where m represents the mass of an object and v represents its velocity (speed).
In this scenario, we are told that both objects have equal masses. Therefore, the mass term (m) is the same for both objects.
However, since kinetic energy also depends on the square of the velocity, the object with a greater kinetic energy must have a greater velocity (speed). This means that one of the objects is moving faster than the other.
Given that all other factors are equal (mass), the higher energy of the faster object can be attributed solely to its higher speed.