Question

A boy is throwing a baseball at a target. the baseball travels at 15 miles per house during his first throw and 30mph during his second throw.

Which of the following statements correctly compares the energy of the baseball in these two situations?

1. the kinetic energy of 2nd throw is twice that of the 1st throw
2. the kinetic energy of 2nd throw is 4 times that of the 1st throw
3. the potential energy of 2nd throw is twice that of the 1st throw
4. the potential energy of the 2nd throw is 4 times that of the 1st throw

Answer 1

The kinetic energy of the baseball in the second throw is twice that of the first throw.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement that compares the energy of the baseball in these two situations is:

1. The kinetic energy of the 2nd throw is twice that of the 1st throw

Kinetic energy is given by the formula KE = (1/2)mv^2, where m is the mass of the object and v is its velocity. Since kinetic energy is directly proportional to the square of velocity, when the velocity of the baseball doubles from 15 mph to 30 mph, its kinetic energy will increase by a factor of 2^2 = 4. Therefore, the kinetic energy of the 2nd throw is four times that of the 1st throw.