In a vacuum, both the feather and the bowling ball experience free fall and are not subject to air resistance. As the bowling ball falls, its potential energy decreases while its kinetic energy increases, keeping the total mechanical energy (the sum of potential and kinetic energy) constant throughout the fall.
The total mechanical energy (E) can be expressed as:
\[ E = PE + KE \]
- Potential Energy (PE) decreases as the height decreases.
- Kinetic Energy (KE) increases as the bowling ball accelerates downward.
The graph representing the bowling ball's total mechanical energy as it falls would be a horizontal line. This indicates that the total mechanical energy remains constant (does not change) during the fall.
If you have to choose a graph layout:
- Look for a horizontal line that remains at a constant value, indicating no change in total mechanical energy as the ball falls.
If you have any specific graph options, please share them, and I can help identify which one reflects this behavior accurately!
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