A pendulum is held at the top of its swing. The person holding the pendulum lets go, and the pendulum is allowed to swing freely. Answer the following questions about the pendulum.

Question

A pendulum is held at the top of its swing. The person holding the pendulum lets go, and the pendulum is allowed to swing freely. Answer the following questions about the pendulum.

When the pendulum is held at the top of its swing, what type of energy does it have?
O kinetic energy
• motion energy
• electrical energy
• potential energy

Answer 1

When the pendulum is held at the top of its swing, it has potential energy.

Answer 2

When the pendulum is held at the top of its swing, it has potential energy.

Answer 3

When the pendulum is held at the top of its swing, it has potential energy. Potential energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its position or condition. In the case of the pendulum, when it is raised to the top, it acquires gravitational potential energy because it is at a higher position relative to its rest position. As it swings down, this potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion.