Potential and Kinetic Energy Quiz

A metal ball and a wooden ball are at rest on a tabletop. The metal ball is heavier and smaller than the wooden ball. Which ball has more mechanical energy?

• The wooden ball because it is bigger than the metal ball.

• The metal ball because it has more gravitational potential energy than the wooden ball.

• The metal ball because it is smaller than the wooden ball.

• The wooden ball because it has more gravitational potential energy than the metal ball.

A wooden block slid on a flat, horizontal surface. The block’s speed decreased as it slid. Which choice describes the block’s mechanical energy?

• The block’s mechanical energy increased.

• The block’s mechanical energy decreased.

• The block’s mechanical energy did not change.

• The block’s mechanical energy increased, and then its mechanical energy decreased.

A man pushes a tire up a hill. What forms of energy does the tire have as it rolls up the hill?

• kinetic energy only

• potential energy only

• both kinetic energy and potential energy

• neither kinetic energy nor potential energy

A toy car travels up a ramp. The car’s speed decreases as it moves up the ramp. What happens to the car’s kinetic energy and potential energy as it travels up the ramp?

• The car’s kinetic energy and potential energy increase.

• The car’s kinetic energy and potential energy decrease.

• The car’s kinetic energy increases, and its potential energy decreases.

• The car’s potential energy increases, and its kinetic energy decreases.

A roller coaster car with a mass of 700 kg starts from rest at location 1 on the track as shown in the diagram below.
Assuming there is no friction between the car and the track, which best identifies the location where the mechanical energy is equal to only the potential energy of the car due to its position on the track?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

The table below shows the mass and height of several objects on bookshelves. Which object has the greatest potential energy?

• P

• Q

• R

• S

A box slides along the surface of a table. This list shows the box’s kinetic and potential energy.

• kinetic energy = 31 Joules

• potential energy = 98 Joules

What is the box’s mechanical energy?

• 31 Joules

• 67 Joules

• 98 Joules

• 129 Joules

Which term is best described as the sum of potential and kinetic energy?

• nuclear energy

• chemical energy

• thermal energy

• mechanical energy

Which is most likely to have the greatest potential energy?

• a car climbing a hill

• a car rolling down a hill

• a car parked at the top of a hill

• a car parked at the bottom of a hill

How is a roller coaster moving down a large hill an example of mechanical energy?

• Mechanical energy is powered by a motor, making it potential energy.

• Mechanical energy is only directly related to kinetic energy and electricity.

• Mechanical energy is only directly related to potential energy and electricity.

• Mechanical energy is a sum of kinetic and potential energies at each point on the hill.