Two students drop an object into sand from a height of 1.5 meters. They record the depth of the hole made in the sand by each student’s object. What is the most likely explanation for the results? (1 point) Responses Maddie’s object has a smaller width. Maddie’s object has a smaller width. Naveed’s object had greater kinetic energy. Naveed’s object had greater kinetic energy. Maddie’s object had a faster drop speed. Maddie’s object had a faster drop speed. Naveed’s object has less mass.

Answer 1

In the context of the scenario described, the most likely explanation for the differences in the depth of the hole made by each student's object is that Naveed's object had greater kinetic energy.

When dropped from the same height, an object's kinetic energy just before impact is primarily determined by its mass and the height it was dropped from, according to the formula for gravitational potential energy (PE = mgh), where 'm' is mass, 'g' is the acceleration due to gravity, and 'h' is the height. If Naveed's object has either greater mass or greater volume, it would have more kinetic energy upon impact, causing it to displace more sand and create a deeper hole compared to Maddie's object.

The other options do not explain the depth of the hole as effectively: the width of the object and drop speed alone do not determine the kinetic energy without additional context regarding their mass and shape. Therefore, Naveed having greater kinetic energy is the most likely explanation for the observed results.