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

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 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.

Answer 1

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

Explanation: as the swimmer falls their gravitational potential energy converts into kinetic energy, so PE decreases while KE increases; neglecting non-conservative forces, the sum (total mechanical energy) stays constant.