Final answer:
The translational kinetic energy of an object remains unchanged when a force couple is applied, since a force couple only causes pure rotational effects without impacting translational motion.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a force couple is applied to an object which exhibits both translational and rotational motion, the quantity that remains unchanged is translational kinetic energy (b). A force couple consists of two equal and opposite forces acting on an object, which results in a pure rotational effect without an accompanying translational force. Therefore, while it can affect the rotational kinetic energy and angular momentum about the center of mass (CM), it does not result in a net force on the body, leaving the translational kinetic energy unchanged.
Rotational kinetic energy and angular momentum can change if a torque acts on the object, as per the work-energy theorem for rotational motion. This rotational energy is dependent on the object's moment of inertia and its angular velocity. However, since a force couple does not cause any linear acceleration or deceleration, the translational kinetic energy, which depends on the mass and the velocity of the object's center of mass, is unaffected.