A wildlife keeper is trying to catch an escaping rabbit. Who has the greater kinetic energy, the rabbit or the wildlife keeper?
• The rabbit because it has less mass.
• Neither one because they are moving at the same speed.
• The wildlife keeper because they have a greater mass.
•The wildlife keeper because they speed up and catch the rabbit.
The correct answer is:
• The wildlife keeper because they have a greater mass.
Kinetic energy depends on both an object's mass and its velocity. Since the wildlife keeper has a greater mass than the rabbit, even if they are moving at the same speed, the wildlife keeper will have a greater kinetic energy.
The correct answer is: The wildlife keeper because they have a greater mass.
To determine who has the greater kinetic energy, we can use the formula for kinetic energy:
Kinetic Energy = 1/2 * mass * velocity^2
Kinetic energy is directly proportional to both mass and velocity. Let's analyze the given options:
1. "The rabbit because it has less mass": According to this option, the rabbit has less mass than the wildlife keeper. If we assume that both the rabbit and the wildlife keeper are moving at the same speed, the rabbit would indeed have greater kinetic energy because it has less mass. This option is plausible.
2. "Neither one because they are moving at the same speed": According to this option, both the rabbit and the wildlife keeper are moving at the same speed. If this is the case, both the rabbit and the wildlife keeper would have the same kinetic energy, regardless of their masses. This option suggests that neither of them has greater kinetic energy.
3. "The wildlife keeper because they have a greater mass": According to this option, the wildlife keeper has a greater mass than the rabbit. If we assume that both the rabbit and the wildlife keeper are moving at the same speed, the wildlife keeper would indeed have greater kinetic energy due to its greater mass. This option is plausible.
4. "The wildlife keeper because they speed up and catch the rabbit": According to this option, the wildlife keeper speeds up and catches the rabbit. Since kinetic energy is proportional to velocity squared, if the wildlife keeper speeds up, their kinetic energy will increase. This option suggests that the wildlife keeper has greater kinetic energy due to their increased speed.
After analyzing these options, we can conclude that all of them have plausible explanations depending on the given conditions. It is essential to have more information, such as the specific values for mass and velocity, to accurately determine who has the greater kinetic energy in this particular scenario.