Question

A non-conservative force:

Option 1: Adds mechanical energy
Option 2: Removes mechanical energy
Option 3: Does no work
Option 4: Does work but doesn't add mechanical energy

Answer 1

A non-conservative force removes mechanical energy from a system, often converting it into forms like thermal energy that cannot be fully recovered.

Step-by-step explanation:

A non-conservative force refers to a force for which the work done depends on the path taken. In physics, mechanical energy is the sum of kinetic and potential energies. When non-conservative forces like friction act on a system, they either add to or remove mechanical energy from the system. An example of a non-conservative force doing work is friction, which transforms mechanical energy into thermal energy, thereby reducing the system's mechanical energy. Therefore, the accurate answer to the student's question is that a non-conservative force removes mechanical energy from a system.