A hawk is chasing a sparrow. At the beginning of the chase, the hawk’s kinetic energy is 5.1 Joules. At the end of the chase, the hawk doubles its speed. What is the best prediction for its kinetic energy at the end of the chase?(1 point)

Responses

5.1 J
5.1 J

10.2 J
10.2 J

20.4 J
20.4 J

2.55 J

1 answer

The kinetic energy (KE) of an object is given by the formula:

\[ \text{KE} = \frac{1}{2} m v^2 \]

where \( m \) is the mass of the object and \( v \) is its speed.

If the hawk doubles its speed, let's denote its initial speed as \( v \). The initial kinetic energy is:

\[ \text{KE}_{\text{initial}} = \frac{1}{2} m v^2 = 5.1 , \text{J} \]

When the speed is doubled (\( 2v \)), the new kinetic energy becomes:

\[ \text{KE}{\text{final}} = \frac{1}{2} m (2v)^2 = \frac{1}{2} m (4v^2) = 2 \cdot \left( \frac{1}{2} m v^2 \right) = 2 \cdot \text{KE}{\text{initial}} \]

Thus:

\[ \text{KE}_{\text{final}} = 2 \cdot 5.1 , \text{J} = 10.2 , \text{J} \]

Therefore, the best prediction for the hawk's kinetic energy at the end of the chase is 10.2 J.