A baseball is thrown into the air as shown below. Which is true about the total energy at point S (highest point)

Answer 1

At the highest point S of its trajectory, the total mechanical energy of the baseball is composed of its potential energy and kinetic energy.

1. Kinetic Energy (KE): At the highest point, the baseball's vertical speed is zero, meaning its kinetic energy is also zero.

2. Potential Energy (PE): The potential energy of the baseball is at its maximum at point S, as potential energy is related to the height above the ground.

Therefore, at point S, the total mechanical energy (TME) of the baseball is equal to the potential energy alone since the kinetic energy is zero. The total energy in a closed system (ignoring air resistance) remains constant throughout the motion, meaning it was converted from kinetic energy as the baseball ascended.

In summary, at the highest point S, the total energy is entirely potential energy, and it remains constant overall throughout the baseball's flight when considering energy conservation (ignoring air resistance).