A baseball is sitting on a raised bench. A player accidentally knocks the baseball off the bench. Which statement best describes what will happen to the baseball’s energy during its fall?(1 point)

Question

Responses

The baseball will lose kinetic energy during its fall.
The baseball will lose kinetic energy during its fall.

Most of the baseball’s potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy.
Most of the baseball’s potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy.

None of the baseball’s potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy.
None of the baseball’s potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy.

All of the baseball’s potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy.

Answer 1

The best statement that describes what will happen to the baseball’s energy during its fall is:

Most of the baseball’s potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy.

As the baseball falls, the gravitational potential energy it has due to its height is converted into kinetic energy as it gains speed. However, some energy may be lost to air resistance, so it's more accurate to say that most of the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy.