Question

A group of students is having an annual downhill cart race. the unpowered carts, like the one shown below, are lined up at the top of a hill. what gives the cars their potential energy?

a. their speed
b. gravity
c. friction
d. their wheels

Answer 1

The potential energy of the carts in the downhill race is due to gravity, which is converted into kinetic energy as the carts move downhill.

correct option is b. Gravity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The carts in the annual downhill cart race have potential energy due to gravity. This potential energy is not a result of their speed, friction, or wheels. At the top of the hill, the potential energy is at its maximum because of the elevation above a reference point. As the carts start moving downhill, this potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, causing the carts to accelerate even without any power source.

The concept of gravitational potential energy is key to understanding how the carts move. It is the result of the gravitational force acting on the mass of the carts, giving them the ability to do work as they move downhill. This topic is perfectly illustrated in situations like a roller coaster ride or a car coasting down a hill, where the conservation of energy principle applies. The energy transformations from potential to kinetic energy demonstrate the conservation of energy in closed systems.

correct answer is b. Gravity.