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)
The correct graph would show that the bowling ball's total mechanical energy decreases as it falls. Initially, when the ball is dropped, it has a certain amount of gravitational potential energy. As it falls, this potential energy converts into kinetic energy which causes the ball to gain speed. However, at the same time, the ball experiences air resistance, which gradually slows it down and converts its kinetic energy back into potential energy. Therefore, the total mechanical energy of the ball decreases as it falls.
The graph should show a decreasing trend in the total mechanical energy of the bowling ball as it falls.
In a vacuum, the only force acting on an object is gravity. Therefore, the object is only affected by gravitational potential energy and has no other forms of energy such as kinetic or thermal energy.
As the object falls, its potential energy decreases while its kinetic energy increases, keeping the total mechanical energy constant.
Given this, the graph that correctly represents the bowling ball's total mechanical energy as it falls would show a straight horizontal line, indicating that the total mechanical energy remains constant throughout the fall.
To determine the correct graph that shows the bowling ball's total mechanical energy as it falls, we need to understand the concept of mechanical energy and its conservation.
Mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy (PE) and kinetic energy (KE). In this scenario, the bowling ball is dropped from the same height as the feather, so both objects initially have the same potential energy. As they fall, this potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.
The total mechanical energy remains constant during free-fall in a vacuum because there is no external force (such as air resistance) acting on the objects. Therefore, the graph of the bowling ball's total mechanical energy should be a horizontal line, indicating that it remains constant throughout the fall.
So, the correct graph of the bowling ball's total mechanical energy would show a horizontal line at a constant value, indicating that it does not change during the fall.