Question

A group of students conducted a lab simulation where they observed the conversions between kinetic energy and potential energy on a roller coaster.



image


At which point in the roller coaster’s motion is the kinetic energy increasing?



A.
Point 1

B.
Point 2

C.
Point 3

D.
Point 4

Answer 1

I can’t see the roller-coaster diagram you meant to include. Could you upload the image or describe where points 1–4 are (which are on uphill, downhill, or at the top/bottom)?

How to decide: kinetic energy increases when the car is speeding up — i.e. when it is moving downhill and losing gravitational potential energy (assuming negligible friction). So choose the point that is on a downhill segment (between a higher and a lower point), not the top or the bottom where the speed is momentarily changing direction (tops → KE minimum, bottoms → KE maximum).