How does the total kinetic energy of a cannon and cannonball system change as the mass of the

cannon increases and the energy of the blast remains the same? (1 point)

The total kinetic energy cannot be determined.

The total kinetic energy decreases.

The total kinetic energy increases.

The total kinetic energy remains the same.

1 answer

The total kinetic energy of the cannon and cannonball system will remain the same.

When a cannon is fired, the potential energy from the explosive blast is converted into kinetic energy of both the cannon and the cannonball. If the energy of the blast remains constant, it will still be distributed between the cannon and the cannonball, regardless of the mass of the cannon.

As the mass of the cannon increases, more of the blast energy goes into moving the cannon, which means less energy is available to be converted into the kinetic energy of the cannonball. However, the total kinetic energy of the entire system (cannon plus cannonball) will equal the initial energy from the blast, which remains constant.

So the correct answer is: The total kinetic energy remains the same.