Which of the following is true about the realtionship of gravity and kinetic energy?

A. Kinetic energy doubles when your weight doubles.
B. When the weight of a vehicle doubles, it needs about twice the distance to stop.
C. Kinetic energy increases as you go faster.
D. All of the other responses.

1 answer

The correct answer is D. All of the other responses.

Here's a breakdown of each statement:

A. Kinetic energy doubles when your weight doubles.
This statement is true because kinetic energy (\( KE \)) is given by the formula \( KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 \), where \( m \) is mass (which is related to weight) and \( v \) is velocity. If the weight (or mass) doubles and velocity stays constant, kinetic energy also doubles.

B. When the weight of a vehicle doubles, it needs about twice the distance to stop.
This statement is generally true under the assumption that the braking force remains constant. Since stopping distance is related to the kinetic energy of the vehicle, doubling the weight (and hence the kinetic energy) means it will take roughly twice the distance to stop.

C. Kinetic energy increases as you go faster.
This statement is true, as kinetic energy increases with the square of the velocity (\( v^2 \)). Thus, if you increase your speed, your kinetic energy will increase significantly.

Since all statements A, B, and C are true, the answer is D.