Question
1. Explain why a wooden block, although stationary, will still have some kinetic energy?
A. The wooden block can be pushed to slide across the floor
B. The wood contains atoms that have stored potential energy.
C. The wood's molecules are constantly in motion.
D. The atoms in the wood are vibrating in place.
A. The wooden block can be pushed to slide across the floor
B. The wood contains atoms that have stored potential energy.
C. The wood's molecules are constantly in motion.
D. The atoms in the wood are vibrating in place.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is **C. The wood's molecules are constantly in motion.**
Although a wooden block may be stationary as a whole, the molecules within the wood are in constant motion due to thermal energy. This molecular motion contributes to the kinetic energy of the material at the microscopic level. In addition, answer D is also valid because the atoms in the wood are indeed vibrating in place, which is another form of kinetic energy at the atomic level. However, in the context of the options provided, C more directly addresses the overall kinetic energy of all molecules in the wood.
Although a wooden block may be stationary as a whole, the molecules within the wood are in constant motion due to thermal energy. This molecular motion contributes to the kinetic energy of the material at the microscopic level. In addition, answer D is also valid because the atoms in the wood are indeed vibrating in place, which is another form of kinetic energy at the atomic level. However, in the context of the options provided, C more directly addresses the overall kinetic energy of all molecules in the wood.