Two different rivers have drops that are the same height. In river A, this drop of the river is a waterfall. In river B, this drop has the generator for a hydroelectric dam. In what way does the energy of the water differ between the drops in the two rivers?(1 point)

Question

Responses

The kinetic energy of the water would be less at the bottom of the drop in the waterfall river A than at the hydroelectric dam river B.
The kinetic energy of the water would be less at the bottom of the drop in the waterfall river A than at the hydroelectric dam river B.

The potential energy of the water would be less at the top of the drop in the waterfall river A than at the hydroelectric dam in river B.
The potential energy of the water would be less at the top of the drop in the waterfall river A than at the hydroelectric dam in river B.

The kinetic energy of the water would be greater at the bottom of the drop in the waterfall river A than at the hydroelectric dam in river B.
The kinetic energy of the water would be greater at the bottom of the drop in the waterfall river A than at the hydroelectric dam in river B.

The potential energy of the water would be greater at the top of the drop in the waterfall river A than at the hydroelectric dam in river B.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

The kinetic energy of the water would be less at the bottom of the drop in the waterfall river A than at the hydroelectric dam river B.

This is because, in the case of a hydroelectric dam, water is typically directed through turbines which extract energy from the flowing water, resulting in less kinetic energy at the bottom of the drop compared to the free fall of water over a waterfall. In contrast, at a waterfall, the water just falls freely, and therefore, it generally has a higher kinetic energy when it reaches the bottom.