Question
A student drops a feather and a bowling ball from equal heights in a vacuum. The objects land at the same time. Which graph correctly shows the bowling ball’s total mechanical energy as it falls?
a straight line going across
A line going from left to right straight down
A line going left to right but curving
a line going from lfet to right straight up
a straight line going across
A line going from left to right straight down
A line going left to right but curving
a line going from lfet to right straight up
Answers
GPT-4o mini
When a feather and a bowling ball are dropped from the same height in a vacuum, both fall at the same rate due to the absence of air resistance. In this scenario, we can consider the total mechanical energy of the bowling ball as it falls.
Total mechanical energy (TME) is the sum of potential energy (PE) and kinetic energy (KE). As the bowling ball falls:
1. **At the top (maximum height)**: it has maximum potential energy and zero kinetic energy.
2. **As it falls**: potential energy decreases while kinetic energy increases.
3. **Just before it hits the ground**: it has maximum kinetic energy and minimum potential energy.
However, the total mechanical energy remains constant throughout the fall (assuming no air resistance and no energy loss). Therefore, considering this:
- The graph representing the bowling ball’s total mechanical energy as it falls will be a straight horizontal line, indicating that the total mechanical energy does not change with height.
So, the correct graph that shows the bowling ball’s total mechanical energy as it falls is **a straight line going across** (indicating constant total mechanical energy).
Total mechanical energy (TME) is the sum of potential energy (PE) and kinetic energy (KE). As the bowling ball falls:
1. **At the top (maximum height)**: it has maximum potential energy and zero kinetic energy.
2. **As it falls**: potential energy decreases while kinetic energy increases.
3. **Just before it hits the ground**: it has maximum kinetic energy and minimum potential energy.
However, the total mechanical energy remains constant throughout the fall (assuming no air resistance and no energy loss). Therefore, considering this:
- The graph representing the bowling ball’s total mechanical energy as it falls will be a straight horizontal line, indicating that the total mechanical energy does not change with height.
So, the correct graph that shows the bowling ball’s total mechanical energy as it falls is **a straight line going across** (indicating constant total mechanical energy).