Question

A tennis ball is dropped on to a horizontal surface. As the ball bounces up and down, the height of each bounce gradually decreases. During the motion of the ball ......

• A. kinetic energy of the ball is constant
• B. the potential energy of the ball is constant
• C. the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of the ball is constant
• D. the total energy of the ball, ground and air is constant

Answer 1

The correct option is D the total energy of the ball, ground and air is constant

The Law of Conservation of Energy applies here which say that------------- energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can be transformed. In Ball Drop, energy being transformed, although the total amount of energy remains the same.

Before dropping a ball, it lifts up from its’ resting surface. When it is transferring energy to the ball. ball conserve potential energy, specifically gravitational potential energy.As the ball falls towards the ground, its gravitational potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy. The kinetic energy of an object is the energy it possesses due to its motion. The kinetic energy of the ball will continue increasing as the ball gains momentum, until it finally collides with a surface.

Answer (D) the total energy of the ball, ground and air is constant