A student is investigating the transfer of potential energy into kinetic energy. The student uses a slingshot and a marble, as shown in the diagram.
The steps of the student's investigation are shown.
Step 1 Place the marble in the slingshot, pull back on the sling to a distance of 15 centimeters, release the sling, and record the distance the marble travels.
Step 2 Place the marble in the slingshot, pull back on the sling to a distance of 10 centimeters, release the sling, and record the distance the marble travels.
Step 3 Place the marble in the slingshot, pull back on the sling to a distance of 5 centimeters, release the sling, and record the distance the marble travels.
What will MOST LIKELY be the result of this investigation?
A.
The marble released from a distance of 5 centimeters will have the most potential energy transferred into kinetic energy, causing the marble to travel the farthest.
B.
The marble released from a distance of 15 centimeters will have the most potential energy transferred into kinetic energy, causing the marble to travel the farthest.
C.
The marble released from a distance of 5 centimeters will have the least potential energy transferred into kinetic energy, causing the marble to travel the farthest.
D.
The marble released from a distance of 15 centimeters will have the least potential energy transferred into kinetic energy, causing the marble to travel the farthest.
B.
The marble released from a distance of 15 centimeters will have the most potential energy transferred into kinetic energy, causing the marble to travel the farthest.
The marble released from a distance of 15 centimeters will have the most potential energy transferred into kinetic energy, causing the marble to travel the farthest. Therefore, the correct answer is option B.
To determine the most likely result of the investigation, we need to understand the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy.
Potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration. In this case, when the marble is pulled back in the slingshot, it acquires potential energy due to the tension in the slingshot.
Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is the energy an object possesses due to its motion. When the marble is released from the slingshot, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, causing the marble to move.
According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed. Therefore, the potential energy stored in the marble at various pullback distances will be converted into kinetic energy, resulting in the marble traveling a certain distance.
Based on this understanding, we can now analyze the given investigation steps:
Step 1: Marble pulled back to a distance of 15 centimeters.
Step 2: Marble pulled back to a distance of 10 centimeters.
Step 3: Marble pulled back to a distance of 5 centimeters.
According to the investigation steps, the potential energy transferred into kinetic energy will depend on the pullback distance. The greater the pullback distance, the more potential energy is stored in the marble, resulting in a higher conversion to kinetic energy and thus a longer distance traveled.
Therefore, the marble released from a distance of 15 centimeters (Step 1) will likely have the most potential energy transferred into kinetic energy, causing it to travel the farthest.
Hence, the correct answer is B. The marble released from a distance of 15 centimeters will have the most potential energy transferred into kinetic energy, causing the marble to travel the farthest.