Which falling object will result in the least kinetic energy when it collides with the ground?

Question

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1 point
100 grams of dirt falling at 15 m/s
10 grams of dirt falling at 2 m/s
100 grams of water falling at 10 m/s
10 grams of water falling at 1 m/s

Answer 1

The kinetic energy of an object is calculated by the formula KE=1/2mv^2, where m is the mass of the object and v is its velocity.

Let's calculate the kinetic energy of each falling object:

1. 100 grams of dirt falling at 15 m/s:
KE = 0.5 * 0.1 kg * (15 m/s)^2
KE = 11.25 J

2. 10 grams of dirt falling at 2 m/s:
KE = 0.5 * 0.01 kg * (2 m/s)^2
KE = 0.02 J

3. 100 grams of water falling at 10 m/s:
KE = 0.5 * 0.1 kg * (10 m/s)^2
KE = 5 J

4. 10 grams of water falling at 1 m/s:
KE = 0.5 * 0.01 kg * (1 m/s)^2
KE = 0.005 J

Based on these calculations, the 10 grams of water falling at 1 m/s will result in the least kinetic energy when it collides with the ground.