A science class goes to an amusement park to investigate potential and kinetic energy. Which action best demonstrates potential energy being transformed into kinetic energy?
Responses
a fireworks rocket shoots upward into the night sky above the park
a fireworks rocket shoots upward into the night sky above the park
a moving bumper car slams into another bumper car that is sitting still
a moving bumper car slams into another bumper car that is sitting still
a bungee jumper is released at the top of a tall tower and starts to fall
a bungee jumper is released at the top of a tall tower and starts to fall
a roller coaster slowly climbs the tall hill at the beginning of the ride
a roller coaster slowly climbs the tall hill at the beginning of the ride
The action that best demonstrates potential energy being transformed into kinetic energy is when a roller coaster slowly climbs the tall hill at the beginning of the ride.
The action that best demonstrates potential energy being transformed into kinetic energy is when a bungee jumper is released at the top of a tall tower and starts to fall. To understand why this is the correct answer, let's break down the concept of potential and kinetic energy.
Potential energy refers to the stored energy an object possesses due to its position or condition. In the case of the bungee jumper, the potential energy comes from their position at the top of the tall tower. The higher they are, the greater the potential energy they have.
Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is the energy an object possesses due to its motion. When the bungee jumper is released, they start to fall, and their potential energy is gradually converted into kinetic energy as they pick up speed.
This action best demonstrates the transformation from potential to kinetic energy because the bungee jumper starts with a high potential energy (at the top of the tower) and, as they fall, their potential energy continuously decreases while their kinetic energy increases.