Kinetic and Potential Energy Quick Check

Question

1 of 51 of 5 Items
Question
An object falls through the air, gaining speed as it falls. A student claims that this creates new energy, and so it breaks the law of conservation of energy. Which statement describes why the student is incorrect?(1 point)
Responses

Equal and opposite amounts of other energy are also created.
Equal and opposite amounts of other energy are also created.

Energy can be created without breaking the law of conservation of energy.
Energy can be created without breaking the law of conservation of energy.

Speed is not related to energy in any way.
Speed is not related to energy in any way.

Energy is converted from other forms, not created

Answer 1

Energy is converted from other forms, not created. This is the statement that describes why the student is incorrect. The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another. In the case of the falling object, the potential energy it had at its initial height is converted to kinetic energy as it falls, but no new energy is created.