Question 2 (1 point)
Claire is investigating potential and kinetic energy using a large ball. For her investigation, Claire will stand at the top of a hill and push the ball down the hill. The picture shows Claire's investigation.
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How will the ball's potential and kinetic energy change as it rolls down the hill?
a
The ball's potential and kinetic energy will both decrease.
b
The ball's potential energy will increase, and its kinetic energy will decrease.
c
The ball's potential and kinetic energy will both increase.
d
The ball's potential energy will decrease, and its kinetic energy will increase.
d. The ball's potential energy will decrease, and its kinetic energy will increase as it rolls down the hill.
To determine how the ball's potential and kinetic energy will change as it rolls down the hill, let's understand the concepts of potential and kinetic energy first.
Potential energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its position or condition. In this case, the ball has potential energy at the top of the hill because of its elevated position. As the ball moves down the hill, its potential energy decreases since it is moving closer to the ground.
Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion. As the ball rolls down the hill, its speed increases, and therefore its kinetic energy also increases. The ball's kinetic energy is directly related to its speed, so as it gains speed, its kinetic energy increases.
Therefore, the correct answer is option d: The ball's potential energy will decrease, and its kinetic energy will increase as it rolls down the hill.
d
The ball's potential energy will decrease, and its kinetic energy will increase.