A student wants to determine the effect of mass on kinetic energy. She will drop two balls of the same size into a pool of water. Which investigation method should the student use?
1. She should drop two balls with different masses from the same height.
2. She should drop two balls with different masses from different heights.
3. She should drop two balls of the same mass from the same height.
4. She should drop two balls of the same mass from different heights.
3. She should drop two balls of the same mass from the same height.
To determine the effect of mass on kinetic energy, the student should select option 1: She should drop two balls with different masses from the same height. By keeping the height constant and varying the masses of the balls, the student can isolate the effect of mass on kinetic energy.
To determine the effect of mass on kinetic energy in this scenario, the student should choose option 1: She should drop two balls with different masses from the same height.
By dropping two balls with different masses from the same height, the student can ensure that both balls experience the same gravitational potential energy at the start. As the balls fall, this potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Since the balls have different masses, they will have different amounts of kinetic energy due to their different masses.
By measuring or observing the kinetic energy of each ball when they hit the water, the student can compare and analyze the effect of mass on kinetic energy.