An athlete is practicing shotput using a 16-pound shot, and he throws it 40 feet. He then uses a 12-pound shot and throws it 50 feet. In three to four sentences, explain why there is a difference in these throws using the ideas of mass and speed and how each relates to kinetic energy.
2 answers
The difference in the throws can be attributed to the combination of mass and speed, which both play a role in determining the kinetic energy. The 16-pound shot has a greater mass than the 12-pound shot, which means it requires more force to accelerate it to a certain speed. Additionally, the athlete may have applied more force and generated more speed when throwing the 12-pound shot, resulting in a greater kinetic energy and a longer throw.
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