Question

direction: use the image to identify the potential and kinetic energy of the skate park lab.

1. at this skater position what is the skaters energy?

and why?
a. potential:

b. kinetic:

Explanation:

Assuming the skater is at the highest point (left - most peak in the skate park graph):

• For Potential Energy: Potential energy (PE) in a gravitational context is given by $PE = mgh$, where $m$ is mass, $g$ is acceleration due to gravity, and $h$ is height. At the highest point, the height $h$ is maximum. Since mass and gravity are constant, a maximum height means maximum potential energy. So potential energy is high (or maximum) because height is maximum here.
• For Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy (KE) is given by $KE=\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}$, where $m$ is mass and $v$ is velocity. At the highest point, the skater is momentarily at rest (about to start moving down), so velocity $v = 0$. Thus, kinetic energy is low (or minimum, even zero) because velocity is zero (or very low) at this position.

Answer:

a. Potential: High (or Maximum). Because the skater is at the highest height, and potential energy (gravitational) depends on height ($PE = mgh$), so higher height means higher potential energy.
b. Kinetic: Low (or Minimum, or Zero). Because the skater's velocity is zero (or very low) at this highest point, and kinetic energy depends on velocity ($KE=\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}$), so low velocity means low kinetic energy.