Question

the total energy of the ornament is 5 units.
the ornament falls from the branch. at a point in time as its falling, it has 1 unit of potential energy.
how many units of kinetic energy are there?
4 units
2 units
1 unit
0 units

Explanation:

Step1: Recall energy conservation principle

The total mechanical energy (sum of potential and kinetic energy) of a system remains constant (ignoring non - conservative forces like air resistance for this case). So, \(E_{total}=E_{potential}+E_{kinetic}\).

Step2: Substitute known values

We know that \(E_{total} = 5\) units and \(E_{potential}=1\) unit. Rearranging the formula for \(E_{kinetic}\), we get \(E_{kinetic}=E_{total}-E_{potential}\). Substituting the values, we have \(E_{kinetic}=5 - 1=4\) units.

Answer:

4 units