Question

an athlete is practicing shotput using a 16 - pound shot, and he throws it 40 feet. he then uses a 12 - pound shot and throws it 50 feet. in three to four sentences, explain why there is a difference in these throws using the ideas of mass and speed and how each relates to kinetic energy. (4 points) short answer rubric (4 points) points awarded criteria 4 the answer is very clear the answer is fully supported by details

Explanation:

Kinetic energy \( KE=\frac{1}{2}mv^{2} \). The 16 - pound shot has more mass. For a given force (athlete's throw), \( F = ma\) (Newton's second law). A more massive object (\(m_{16}>m_{12}\)) will have a lower acceleration \(a=\frac{F}{m}\), so lower speed. Lower speed means less kinetic energy to overcome air resistance and travel distance. The 12 - pound shot, with less mass, can be accelerated to a higher speed, giving it more kinetic energy to travel the longer 50 - foot distance.

Answer:

The difference in throws is due to mass affecting speed and kinetic energy. Using \(KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^{2}\) and \(F=ma\), the 16 - pound shot (more mass) has lower speed (lower \(KE\)) for a given force, traveling 40 feet. The 12 - pound shot (less mass) has higher speed (higher \(KE\)), traveling 50 feet.