Question

conservation of mechanical energy quick check
a student wants to design an experiment to study the transformation of mechanical energy. which object can be used to investigate how gravitational potential energy transforms into kinetic energy? (1 point)
o a slide
o a flat race car track
o a rug
o a spring

Explanation:

• A slide allows an object (like a person sliding down) to have a change in height. As the object moves down the slide, its gravitational potential energy ($U = mgh$, where $m$ is mass, $g$ is acceleration due to gravity, and $h$ is height) decreases. At the same time, its kinetic energy ($K=\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}$, where $v$ is velocity) increases.
• A flat race - car track has no significant change in height, so there is no major transformation from gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy.
• A rug is just a flat surface (usually on the floor) with no height change mechanism for the transformation of gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy.
• A spring is related to elastic potential energy ($U=\frac{1}{2}kx^{2}$, where $k$ is the spring constant and $x$ is the displacement from the equilibrium position) and its transformation to kinetic energy, not gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy.

Answer:

a slide