Question

Consider a 2-kg bowling ball sits on top of a building that is 40 meters tall. It falls to the ground. Think about the amounts of potential and kinetic energy the bowling ball has:

• as sits on top of a building that is 40 meters tall.
• as it is half way through a fall off a building that is 40 meters tall and travelling 19.8 meters per second.
• as it is just about to hit the ground from a fall off a building that is 40 meters tall and traveling 28 meters per second.

1. Does the bowling ball have more potential energy or kinetic energy as it sit on top of the building? Why?
2. Does the bowling ball have more potential energy or kinetic energy as it is half way through its fall? Why?
3. Does the bowling ball have more potential energy or kinetic energy just before it hits the ground? Why?
4. What is the potential energy of the bowling ball as it sits on top of the building?
5. What is the potential energy of the ball as it is half way through the fall, 20 meters high?
6. What is the kinetic energy of the ball as it is half way through the fall?
7. What is the kinetic energy of the ball just before it hits the ground?

Answer 1

number 1 is that the bowling ball has more gravitational potential energy as it sits on top of the building.

Answer 2

#2 would be : The bowling ball now has more kinetic energy because it is moving and picking up speed. The potential energy has already been wasted because it has been used as the ball falls.

:)