A student drops a feather and a bowling ball from equal heights in a vacuum. The objects land at the same time. Which graph correctly shows the bowling ball’s total mechanical energy as it falls?(1 point)
There is no image provided to accurately select the correct graph. However, the graph that correctly shows the bowling ball's total mechanical energy as it falls would depict a constant line, as gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic energy during freefall in a vacuum. Therefore, the total mechanical energy of the bowling ball would remain constant throughout its fall.
Since the objects are dropped from equal heights and there is no air resistance in a vacuum, they both experience the same gravitational force and therefore fall with the same acceleration.
The total mechanical energy of an object falling is given by the sum of its kinetic energy and potential energy.
At the starting point, both the feather and the bowling ball have zero kinetic energy and maximum potential energy. As they fall, their kinetic energy increases while their potential energy decreases. Since the total mechanical energy remains constant, the sum of kinetic and potential energies should be constant.
Therefore, the correct graph should show a constant total mechanical energy as the bowling ball falls. This can be represented by a straight line parallel to the x-axis.
To determine which graph correctly shows the bowling ball's total mechanical energy as it falls, we need to understand the concept of mechanical energy and how it changes during the motion of the object.
Mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy. Potential energy is the stored energy an object has due to its position or condition, while kinetic energy is the energy of an object in motion.
In this scenario, the student drops the feather and the bowling ball from equal heights in a vacuum. Since a vacuum eliminates air resistance, both objects will experience the same acceleration due to gravity, and their motion will be solely determined by that acceleration.
As the objects fall, they start with potential energy and gradually convert it into kinetic energy. The total mechanical energy (sum of potential and kinetic energy) remains constant throughout the fall, as long as we neglect external factors like air resistance.
The graph representing the bowling ball's total mechanical energy would, therefore, show a constant value of energy throughout the fall. The correct graph would be a horizontal line, parallel to the x-axis, indicating that the total mechanical energy of the bowling ball remains constant during its fall.
Therefore, the correct answer would be the graph that shows the total mechanical energy of the bowling ball as a horizontal line.