Question

Which of the following situations describes an object's kinetic energy being converted into gravitational potential energy?






A.

A penny sits motionless atop a shelf.



B.

A ball rolls up an inclined ramp.



C.

A kiwi is dropped from a second-story window.



D.

A water particle flows down a mountain stream.

Answer 1

I'd say c Because the best situation of this i can think of is Lifting an object up (giving it potential energy) and dropping it (kinetic energy) onto a desk (sound and heat on impact)

Answer 2

We want to see the kinetic energy become potential energy.

When we drop something from a height, we see the object fall, and gain speed as it does so. Since it is picking up speed, it is picking up kinetic energy (1/2 m V^2). This is gravitational potential energy (mgh) being turned into kinetic energy.

We need an example of the opposite. We need an object that was moving at some speed, but is slowing down due to that energy being converted to potential energy.

If falling takes potential energy and turns it into kinetic energy, what can we do to take kinetic energy and turn it into potential energy?