Question

As a skydiver falls, the air is forced to move around him. What energy transformation does this cause? A. Potential energy from the skydiver becomes potential energy in the atmosphere. B. Kinetic energy from the skydiver becomes heat energy in the atmosphere. C. Kinetic energy from the atmosphere becomes potential energy for the skydiver. D. Heat energy from the atmosphere becomes kinetic energy for the skydiver.

Answer 1

B is the best answer.  The skydiver's velocity is decreased (his acceleration is slowed) by giving some of his kinetic energy to the surrounding air, causing it to heat up.  On a molecular level, his kinetic energy is being lost to increase the kinetic energy of the air molecules.  Faster molecules in a gas means a higher temperature of the gas, or heat energy.

Answer 2

While an object, such as a skydiver, is falling, it has kinetic energy due to its motion. Some of the object's kinetic energy is transferred to the air that it falls through, causing the air to move and heating it.

So, some of the kinetic energy from the skydiver becomes heat energy in the atmosphere. B