Final answer:
The velocity of a 0.2 kg apple falling from a tree with a potential energy of 10 J just before it hits the ground is calculated using the conservation of energy. The kinetic energy at the point of impact equals the potential energy it started with, yielding a velocity of 10 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question at hand involves the concept of energy conversion, specifically the conversion of potential energy (PE) to kinetic energy (KE). When a 0.2 kg apple with a potential energy of 10 J falls from a tree, its potential energy is fully converted into kinetic energy just before it hits the ground.
We can determine the velocity of the apple using the formula for kinetic energy: KE = 0.5 × mass × velocity2.
To find the velocity, we will rearrange the formula as follows: velocity = √(2 × KE / mass). By plugging in the known values (KE = 10 J, mass = 0.2 kg), we calculate the velocity to be velocity = √(2 × 10 J / 0.2 kg) = √100 = 10 m/s. Therefore, the correct answer to the question would be:
The velocity of the apple just before it hits the ground is 10 m/s.