Question

A swimmer jumps from a diving board into a pool. What would a graph of the swimmer's potential energy and total mechanical energy look like?(1 point) Responses Potential energy would remain constant, while total mechanical energy would increase. Potential energy would remain constant, while total mechanical energy would increase. Potential energy would remain constant, while total mechanical energy would decrease. Potential energy would remain constant, while total mechanical energy would decrease. Potential energy would increase, while total mechanical energy would remain constant. Potential energy would increase, while total mechanical energy would remain constant. Potential energy would decrease, while total mechanical energy would remain constant.

Answer 1

When a swimmer jumps from a diving board into a pool, the swimmer's potential energy decreases as they fall, while their kinetic energy increases. However, the total mechanical energy, which is the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy, remains constant in an ideal scenario (ignoring air resistance and other energy losses).

In this case, the potential energy would decrease as the swimmer jumps and falls towards the water, while the kinetic energy would increase correspondingly. Thus, the overall total mechanical energy remains constant throughout the dive.

Therefore, the correct response would be:

**Potential energy would decrease, while total mechanical energy would remain constant.**

(Note: You didn't provide this exact option, but it aligns correctly with the principle of conservation of mechanical energy in the absence of non-conservative forces such as air resistance.)