Question
Which energy change occurs for a water molecule as water falls over a dam?
A. kinetic energy increases
B. kinetic energy decreases
C. total energy increases
D. total energy decreases
A. kinetic energy increases
B. kinetic energy decreases
C. total energy increases
D. total energy decreases
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
As water falls over a dam, it converts potential energy (due to its height above the ground) into kinetic energy as it falls. Therefore, the correct answer is:
A. kinetic energy increases
As the water descends, its potential energy decreases, but this loss is converted into an increase in kinetic energy, leading to a faster-moving mass of water at the bottom. The total mechanical energy (potential + kinetic) in an ideal scenario (ignoring friction and air resistance) remains constant.
A. kinetic energy increases
As the water descends, its potential energy decreases, but this loss is converted into an increase in kinetic energy, leading to a faster-moving mass of water at the bottom. The total mechanical energy (potential + kinetic) in an ideal scenario (ignoring friction and air resistance) remains constant.