Question

Part A Which of the following statements are true? Check all that apply. View Available Hint(s) Mechanical energy is conserved because no dissipative forces perform work on the ball. The forces of gravity and the spring have potential energies associated with them. No conservative forces act in this problem after the ball is released from the spring gun.

Answer 1

Mechanical energy is conserved when there are no dissipative forces. The forces of gravity and the spring have associated potential energies. Systems with nonconservative forces lose mechanical energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mechanical energy is conserved because no dissipative forces perform work on the ball. The forces of gravity and the spring have potential energies associated with them. No conservative forces act in this problem after the ball is released from the spring gun.

The conservation of mechanical energy states that in a closed system, where there are no external dissipative forces, the mechanical energy remains constant. This means that the total mechanical energy does not change.

When comparing the effects of conservative and nonconservative forces, as in Figure 7.14, a system with only conservative forces, such as a rock dropped onto a spring, will have constant mechanical energy. However, a system with nonconservative forces, such as a rock dropped onto the ground, will lose mechanical energy due to dissipation as thermal energy, sound, and surface distortion.