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?

Question

Responses

Both balls have equal potential energy.

Ball B has more potential energy.

Neither ball has any potential energy.

Ball A has more potential energy.

Answer 1

The correct statement is:

Both balls have equal potential energy.

The potential energy of an object at a height is determined by its mass and its height above a reference point, typically calculated using the formula \( PE = mgh \), where \( PE \) is potential energy, \( m \) is mass, \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity, and \( h \) is the height. Since both balls were carried to the same height, and assuming they have the same mass, they will have equal potential energy at the top of the hill. The path taken does not affect the potential energy, which depends solely on the height achieved.