Final answer:
The car's potential energy is maximum at point A and decreases towards point B and C, while kinetic energy increases from A to B and then decreases if the car stops at C. These changes are due to the conversion of energy forms under the conservation of energy principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
As the car moves from point A to point B to point C, potential energy, kinetic energy, and total energy go through various transformations due to the conservation of energy principle. At point A, the car has maximum potential energy and minimal kinetic energy, as it's at the highest point in its trajectory. This potential energy is calculated based on the car's mass, gravity, and its height above a reference point.
As the car descends to point B, its potential energy decreases while its kinetic energy increases because gravity is doing work on the car, converting potential energy into kinetic energy. The kinetic energy is calculated using the mass of the car and its velocity squared. The kinetic energy will be maximum when the car's velocity is at its peak.
Finally, at point C, if the car is coming to a stop, kinetic energy is converted into internal energy through friction, or possibly other forms like noise or heat, and if the car is at a lower elevation than point A, its potential energy will also decrease.