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Question
Ball A was carried to the top of a hill in a straight line, while ball B was carried in a longer, zigzag path. At the top of the hill, both balls were left at rest. A student draws a graph that depicts each ball's final potential energy. Which statement describes the final potential energy of the balls?(1 point)
Responses
Neither ball has any potential energy.
Neither ball has any potential energy.
Ball A has more potential energy.
Ball A has more potential energy.
Both balls have equal potential energy.
Both balls have equal potential energy.
Ball B has more potential energy.
Ball B has more potential energy.
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1 answer
The correct response is:
Both balls have equal potential energy.
Potential energy is determined by an object's height above a reference point and its mass, not the path taken to reach that height. Since both balls are at the same height at the top of the hill, they will have the same potential energy regardless of the path taken.
