An empty cardboard box falls from a high platform. Through the use of special equipment it was found that the energy of the cardboard box at the top of the fall was more than the energy of the box at the bottom of the fall. Explain.

Question

An empty cardboard box falls from a high platform.  Through the use of special equipment it was found that the energy of the cardboard box at the top of the fall was more than the energy of the box at the bottom of the fall.  Explain.

trancenova · Answer

Hmmm I'll take a stab at it, though I don't know if this is correct.

At the top of the fall the box has maximum potential energy (because of gravity) and as it falls this is converted to Kinetic energy. The kinetic energy is lost (from the box) through friction with the air so despite all of its potential energy being converted to kinetic energy in the fall, energy is lost from the box through friction and hence the box has less energy when it is at the bottom.

anonymous · Answer

This is correct !!!! :D Thanks !!

trancenova · Answer

Woo! Haven't done any physics for a few years