Mr. Starr pushed a cart full of groceries to this car. After emptying the cart, he pushed it back to the store. He pushed the cart at a speed of 2 meters per second each way. Which is the best prediction?(1 point)

Question

Responses

The cart had the same kinetic energy going each way.
The cart had the same kinetic energy going each way.

The cart's kinetic energy depends on Mr. Starr's mass.
The cart's kinetic energy depends on Mr. Starr's mass.

When it was empty, the cart had less kinetic energy.
When it was empty, the cart had less kinetic energy.

When it was full, the cart had less kinetic energy.

Answer 1

The best prediction is:

When it was empty, the cart had less kinetic energy.

Kinetic energy depends on both the mass of the object and its speed, as described by the formula:

\[ KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 \]

When the cart is full of groceries, its mass is greater, resulting in more kinetic energy when pushed at the same speed. When the cart is empty, it has less mass, leading to less kinetic energy.