Robin is swinging back and forth from a trapeze.

Question

In which of the following situations is his kinetic energy being transformed into potential energy?
A.
when his height is increasing and his speed is decreasing
B.
when his height and speed are both equal to zero
C.
when his height is not changing and his speed is zero
D.
when his speed is increasing and his height is decreasing

Answer 1

The situation in which Robin's kinetic energy is being transformed into potential energy is:

A. when his height is increasing and his speed is decreasing.

In this scenario, as Robin swings upward (increasing height), he is converting kinetic energy (due to his motion) into potential energy (due to his height above the ground). When height increases, speed typically decreases. This exchange is a key principle of energy conservation in swinging motion.