The difference in the throws can be attributed to the relationship between mass, speed, and kinetic energy. The kinetic energy of an object is given by the formula \( KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 \), where \( m \) is the mass and \( v \) is the speed. Although the 16-pound shot has greater mass, it may not have been thrown with sufficient speed to compensate for that mass, resulting in a shorter distance of 40 feet. In contrast, the lighter 12-pound shot can be thrown faster, allowing it to achieve greater kinetic energy and a longer throw of 50 feet, demonstrating that speed has a significant impact on the distance achieved in shotput.
An athlete is practicing shotput using a 16-pound shot, and he throws it 40 feet. He then uses a 12-pound shot and throws it 50 feet. In three to four sentences, explain why there is a difference in these throws using the ideas of mass and speed and how each relates to kinetic energ
3 answers
make it shorter
The difference in throws is due to the relationship between mass, speed, and kinetic energy. While the 16-pound shot has greater mass, it may have been thrown with lower speed, resulting in a distance of 40 feet. Conversely, the lighter 12-pound shot, thrown faster, achieves greater kinetic energy, leading to a longer throw of 50 feet, highlighting the importance of speed in shotput performance.