Kendra loves rolling down hills. She finds a steep hill to roll down. As she is rolling, when is her kinetic energy most likely the highest?

Question

A. just after the top of the hill right as she starts rolling down the hill
B. at the bottom of the hill right before she stops rolling
C. at the bottom of the hill just as she has stopped rolling
D. at the top of the hill right before she has started rolling down the hill

Answer 1

Kendra's kinetic energy is highest when she is moving the fastest. As she rolls down the hill, she accelerates due to the force of gravity, which increases her speed and therefore her kinetic energy. The highest speed and kinetic energy will be at the bottom of the hill, just before she comes to a stop.

So the correct answer is:

B. at the bottom of the hill right before she stops rolling.

Answer 2

are you sure this is correct

Answer 3

Yes, I am confident in my answer.

When Kendra rolls down a hill, her potential energy decreases as she descends, and this energy is converted into kinetic energy, which increases her speed. At the very bottom of the hill, she is typically at her maximum speed just before she comes to a stop, maximizing her kinetic energy.

To clarify further:

• A (just after the top of the hill): Kendra has potential energy that is being converted, but her speed is still low.
• B (at the bottom of the hill right before she stops rolling): This is where she has converted most of her potential energy into kinetic energy, making her speed (and thus kinetic energy) the highest.
• C (at the bottom of the hill just as she has stopped rolling): Her kinetic energy would be zero when she stops because kinetic energy is dependent on motion.
• D (at the top of the hill right before she has started rolling down the hill): Her kinetic energy is at a minimum because she is not moving.

Thus, the correct answer remains B. at the bottom of the hill right before she stops rolling.