Question

A bicycler is rolling down a hill. Where did the energy come from? Provide two different transformations of energy that may have occurred in order to get the bicycle to this point and explain how they happened.

Options:
Option 1: Gravitational potential energy transformed into kinetic energy; energy came from the bicyclist's muscles.
Option 2: Chemical energy transformed into kinetic energy; energy came from the food the bicyclist ate.
Option 3: Solar energy transformed into mechanical energy; energy came from the sun.
Option 4: Nuclear energy transformed into mechanical energy; energy came from the atoms within the bicycle.

Answer 1

The bicycler's descent is powered by gravitational potential energy converting to kinetic energy. This potential energy was initially obtained by the bicyclist using chemical energy from food to pedal uphill.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a bicycler is rolling down a hill the original source of energy comes from the position of the bicycle at the top of the hill, which is known as gravitational potential energy. This potential energy, which is the stored energy due to the bicycle's position above Earth's surface, is converted into kinetic energy, the energy of motion, as the bicycle rolls downhill. The gravitational potential energy was initially achieved through the bicyclist's muscles, which converted chemical energy from the food consumed into mechanical energy to propel the bicycle up the hill.

Two different transformations of energy that occurred to get the bicycle to this point are:

1. Gravitational potential energy transformed into kinetic energy; this transformation occurs naturally as the bicycle moves downhill due to gravity.
2. Chemical energy from the food the bicyclist ate was converted into kinetic energy; this energy came from the bicyclist's muscles doing the work of pedaling.