Question

Changing which factor would not have an influence on the kinetic energy of a moving van loaded with 100 kg bags of mulch, with a total mass of 1,000 kg, while traveling at 5 m/s?

A) The speed of the van
B) The mass of the van
C) The friction between the van's tires and the road
D) The direction of motion of the van

Answer 1

The direction of the van's motion does not influence its kinetic energy because kinetic energy is only related to the van's speed and mass.

Step-by-step explanation:

The factor that would not influence the kinetic energy of the moving van is D) The direction of motion of the van. Kinetic energy is determined by the equation EK = 0.5 × mass × velocity^2. Therefore, it depends only on the mass of the object and the speed at which it is moving. Changing the speed or mass of the van would alter its kinetic energy. However, friction between the tires and the road affects the van's ability to maintain its kinetic energy rather than the kinetic energy itself. The direction of motion does not affect the kinetic energy as it is a scalar quantity and only depends on the magnitude of velocity, not its direction.