Question

Complete these sentences.

If a roller coaster train has a potential energy of 1,500 J and a kinetic energy of 500 J as it starts to travel downhill, its total energy is
J.

Once the roller coaster train gets closer to the bottom of the hill, its kinetic energy increases to 1,100 J, and its potential energy decreases to
J.

When the train reaches the bottom of the track and is traveling along the ground, its kinetic energy is
J.

Answer 1

If total energy is conserved: total = 1500 J + 500 J = 2000 J.

So:
- total energy = 2000 J.
- when KE = 1100 J, PE = 2000 − 1100 = 900 J.
- at the bottom (PE = 0), KE = 2000 J.