This image of a roller coaster is designed to show important information about potential and kinetic energy. One of these labeled pieces of information is incorrect. Which information is wrong, and why?
(1 point)
Responses
The roller coaster would only have kinetic energy at the point labeled “gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy.”
The roller coaster would only have kinetic energy at the point labeled “gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy.”
The roller coaster would only have potential energy at the point labeled “gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy.”
The roller coaster would only have potential energy at the point labeled “gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy.”
The spot with the “maximum kinetic energy” should be on the lowest point of the roller coaster, at the far left side on the bottom.
The spot with the “maximum kinetic energy” should be on the lowest point of the roller coaster, at the far left side on the bottom.
The spot marked “maximum gravitational potential energy” should be on the lowest point of the roller coaster, at the far left side on the bottom.
The spot marked “maximum gravitational potential energy” should be on the lowest point of the roller coaster, at the far left side on the bottom.
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1 answer
The incorrect piece of information is:
"The spot marked 'maximum gravitational potential energy' should be on the lowest point of the roller coaster, at the far left side on the bottom."
This statement is wrong because the maximum gravitational potential energy of a roller coaster occurs at the highest point of the track, not the lowest point. At the lowest point, the roller coaster has its maximum kinetic energy due to the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy as it descends.
