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Determine what form or forms of energy apply to each of the following situations, and specify whether each form is mechanical or nonmechanical:

a. flying disk moving through the air
b. a hot cup
c. a wound clock spring
d. sunlight
e. a boulder sitting at the top of a cliff

User Maxxer
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2 Answers

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A) kinetic energy. mechanical
B) thermal energy. non mechanical
C) potential energy mechanical
D) thermal energy non mechanical
E) potential energy mechanical
Hope this helps you!
User Missak Boyajian
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7 votes

Step-by-step explanation:

Kinetic energy is due to the motion of the object.

Potential energy is due to the position of the object.

Mechanical energy is the sum of the kinetic energy and the potential energy.

The expression for the mechanical energy is as follows;

ME= KE + PE

Here, KE is the kinetic energy and PE is the potential energy.

When KE=0 then the mechanical energy is equal to the potential energy.

When PE=0 then the mechanical energy is equal to the kinetic energy.

(a) Flying disk moving through the air: There is kinetic energy due to the motion of the flying disk. It is a mechanical energy.

(b) A hot cup: There is thermal energy which is a non mechanical energy.

(c) A wound clock spring: There is a potential energy which is a mechanical energy. When it unwinds it can do work by moving the clock hands.

(d) Sunlight: There is solar energy which is a non mechanical energy.

(e) A boulder sitting at the top of a cliff: There is potential energy due to the position of the object. It is a mechanical energy.

User Jakub Michalko
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