The girl in the picture is at the highest point in swinging and starts to come down. Which statement best describes the changes in energy as she begins to descend?
•Kinetic and potential energy are decreasing.
• Potential energy is increasing, and kinetic energy is decreasing.
• Kinetic and potential energy are increasing.
Kinetic energy is increasing, and potential energy is decreasing.
Potential energy is decreasing, and kinetic energy is increasing.
The correct statement is: Potential energy is increasing, and kinetic energy is decreasing.
The correct statement that best describes the changes in energy as the girl in the picture begins to descend is "Potential energy is increasing, and kinetic energy is decreasing."
To understand why this is the correct answer, we need to understand the concepts of potential energy and kinetic energy.
Potential energy refers to the energy that an object possesses due to its position or state. In the case of the swinging girl, her potential energy is at its highest when she is at the highest point in the swing. The potential energy is stored in her raised position, ready to be converted into kinetic energy as she starts to swing back down.
Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is the energy of an object in motion. As the girl starts to descend from the highest point, her potential energy decreases but her kinetic energy increases. This is because potential energy is being converted into kinetic energy as she gains speed and motion while descending.
Therefore, the correct statement is "Potential energy is increasing, and kinetic energy is decreasing" during the descending phase of the swing.