If we could increase the height of the ramp to start at 12 meters. How would this affect the overall Kinetic & Potential Energy of the investigation? Explain why.

Answer 1

Increasing the height of the ramp to start at 12 meters would affect both the kinetic and potential energy of the investigation.

Potential energy is directly proportional to the height of an object above the ground. As the height of the ramp is increased, the potential energy of the object at the top of the ramp would also increase. This is because the object would have more gravitational potential energy due to being at a greater height. Therefore, increasing the height of the ramp to start at 12 meters would increase the potential energy of the object.

Kinetic energy, on the other hand, is the energy of an object in motion. It is determined by the mass and velocity of the object. In the specific context of the investigation, the kinetic energy would depend on the speed of the object as it moves down the ramp. Increasing the height of the ramp to start at 12 meters would result in the object gaining more potential energy. This potential energy would be converted into kinetic energy as the object moves down the ramp. As a result, the object would have a greater velocity compared to a ramp with a lower starting height. Therefore, increasing the height of the ramp would increase the kinetic energy of the investigation.

Overall, increasing the height of the ramp to start at 12 meters would affect both the potential and kinetic energy of the investigation. The potential energy would be higher due to the increased height, and this potential energy would be converted into greater kinetic energy as the object moves down the ramp with a higher starting height.

Answer 2

Continue to play the simulation. This simulation will go on and on for eternity if we let it. This simulation is in what we call a Closed System. We are only looking at the variables we want to in this simulation. In the Real World (Open System), if we had a Pendulum like this, it would eventually stop. Explain why it would stop in the Real World.

Answer 3

In the real world, a pendulum would eventually stop due to the presence of external forces such as air resistance and friction.

Air resistance is the force that opposes the motion of an object through the air. As the pendulum swings back and forth, it pushes against the air molecules in its path, which in turn creates air resistance. This resistance generates a force that acts in the opposite direction of the pendulum's motion, gradually slowing it down. Over time, the energy of the pendulum's swinging motion is transferred to the air as heat, causing the pendulum to lose energy and eventually come to a stop.

Friction, on the other hand, is the force that arises when two surfaces rub against each other. In a real-world pendulum, there would be friction between the pivot point and the string or rod supporting the pendulum bob. As the pendulum swings, there would be relative motion between these surfaces, resulting in friction that opposes the pendulum's motion. This frictional force also gradually reduces the energy of the pendulum, causing it to slow down and eventually stop.

Therefore, in the real world, a pendulum will eventually come to a stop due to the presence of external forces such as air resistance and friction. These forces continually act on the pendulum, gradually sapping its energy and causing it to lose its swinging motion.