A student drops a 350-gram rock and a 500-gram rock into a pool from a height of 8 meters. Which statement about the investigation is accurate?
1. The 500-gram rock causes a larger splash because it has more kinetic energy
2. The 350-gram rock causes a larger splash because it has less mass
3. The 500-gram rock causes a smaller splash because it has more mass
4. The 350-gram rock causes a smaller splash because it has more kinetic energy
1 answer
Option 1 is the correct statement. The kinetic energy of an object is directly proportional to its mass. Since the 500-gram rock has more mass than the 350-gram rock, it will have more kinetic energy as it enters the pool. This will result in a larger splash.