Question

1.) describe a situation in a horizontal plane when a roller has a lot of kinetic energy. explain.
2.) describe a situation in a basketball game when a player has a lot of potential energy. explain.
3.) based on what you observed in the simulation, what factors affect kinetic energy?
4.) based on what you observed in the simulation, what factors affect potential energy?
5.) based on what you read in the pre - lab reading, why does the mechanical (total) energy of the skater not change over time (unless friction is turned on)?
6.) re - read the law of conservation of energy in the pre - lab section. what do you think happens to the skaters energy when friction is involved? (look back to questions 11 and 12.)
7.) an archer stands on the ground and fires an arrow at a target. a second archer stands at the top of a building and holds an arrow in his hand. which arrow has more potential energy? explain.
in the same scenario described in question 7, which arrow has more kinetic energy? explain.

Explanation:

Question 1

A skier moving fast down a slope has a lot of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. The faster the skier moves (higher velocity), the more kinetic energy they have.

Question 2

In a basketball game, a player standing on the top - most bleacher has a lot of potential energy. Gravitational potential energy depends on height and mass. Here, the height of the player above the ground is significant, giving them a large amount of potential energy.

Question 3

The factors affecting kinetic energy are mass and velocity. The formula for kinetic energy is $K = \frac{1}{2}mv^{2}$, where $m$ is mass and $v$ is velocity. An increase in either mass or velocity will increase the kinetic energy.

Question 4

The factors affecting potential energy (gravitational) are mass, height, and the gravitational acceleration. The formula for gravitational potential energy is $U = mgh$, where $m$ is mass, $g$ is the gravitational acceleration, and $h$ is height. So, changes in mass or height will change the potential energy.

Question 5

In the absence of non - conservative forces like friction, mechanical energy (the sum of kinetic and potential energy) is conserved. This is based on the law of conservation of energy. Energy can only be transformed from one form (kinetic to potential or vice - versa) but the total amount remains the same.

Question 6

When friction is involved, some of the mechanical energy of the skater is converted into heat energy. Friction is a non - conservative force. As the skater moves, friction does work against the motion, dissipating energy in the form of heat, thus reducing the skater's mechanical energy over time.

Question 7

The arrow held by the archer at the top of the building has more potential energy. Using the formula $U = mgh$, with the same mass of the arrow and a greater height ($h$) for the arrow at the top of the building compared to the one on the ground, it has more gravitational potential energy.

Question 8

The arrow fired by the archer on the ground has more kinetic energy. The arrow on the ground is in motion (fired) while the arrow held by the archer on the top of the building is at rest. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, so the moving arrow on the ground has kinetic energy while the stationary arrow on the top of the building has none (at that moment).

Answer:

1. A skier moving fast down a slope has high kinetic energy due to high velocity.
2. A player on the top - most bleacher in a basketball game has high potential energy due to height.
3. Mass and velocity affect kinetic energy.
4. Mass, height, and gravitational acceleration affect potential energy.
5. Mechanical energy is conserved in the absence of non - conservative forces like friction according to the law of conservation of energy.
6. Friction converts some of the skater's mechanical energy into heat energy.
7. The arrow at the top of the building has more potential energy due to greater height.
8. The fired arrow on the ground has more kinetic energy as it is in motion.