Question

Discuss how energy conservation applies to a

pendulum. a) Where is potential energy the most? b) The
least? c) Where is kinetic energy the most? d) The least?
e) Where is it moving the fastest? f) Stopped? *

Answer 1

a) in the upper position. b) in the lower position. c) in the lower position. d) in the upper position. f) Its kinetic and potential energy will be 0, but the energy is transferred to the element or body that stopped the movement of the pendulum

Step-by-step explanation:

In the attached image we have the sketch of a pendulum system.

A) The potential energy is maximum when the pendulum is in the upper position (image, fig 1) because the elevation (h) is maximum with respect to the reference point.

B) the potential energy is minimum when the pendulum is in the lower pasition (image, fig 2) because the elevation (h) is cero with respect to the reference point.

Note: When the pendulum is coming down the potential energy is transforming in kinetic energy.

C) The kinetic energy is maximum when the pendulum is in the lower position (image, fig 2), because the potential energy has been transformed in kinetic energy.

D) The kinetic energy is maximum when the pendulum is in the upper position (image, fig 1) because at this moment the pendulum is at rest it means its velocity is 0. We know that the kinetic energy depends on the velocity.

f) The energy is transferred to the element or body that stopped the movement of the pendulum