Kinetic Energy Practice Questions

Rory and Lewis are riding separate sleds down a big hill of snow. They are both traveling towards their dad, who is about to be hit! - Combined, Rory and his sled weigh 65 kilograms. - Combined, Lewis and his sled weigh 45 kilograms. What additional information do you need to know to figure out how much kinetic energy each boy will have when they hit their dad?

• the depth of the snow

• the mass of the boys and sleds

• the density of each sled

• the speed that each kid (with sled) is moving

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You’re watching a NASCAR car race. Two racecars are ahead of the rest, speeding around the track. They are going the exact same speed! Unfortunately, another car has stopped on the track in front of them. Both racecars are going to hit the stopped car! What additional information do you need to know to figure out which racecar would hit the stopped car with the most kinetic energy?

• the type of road surface

• the mass of each racecar

• the types of engines the racecars have

• the speed of each racecar

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Car A has a mass of 1500 kg and is moving at 89 miles per hour. Car B has a mass of 1501 kg and is moving at 28 miles per hour. Which statement below best describes the kinetic energy of each car? Pick the BEST answer.

• Car A has more energy than Car B because it is traveling faster than Car B.

• Car A has more energy than Car B because it has a smaller mass than Car B.

• Car B has more energy than Car A because it had a bigger mass than Car A.

• Both cars have about the same energy because they have about the same mass.

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A wrecking ball is swinging towards a building that needs to be knocked down. If you wanted to make the wrecking ball hit the building with more kinetic energy, what could you change?

• Use a wrecking ball with a bigger mass

• Use a wrecking ball with a smaller mass

• Decrease the speed of the wrecking ball

• None of the above, the kinetic energy cannot be changed.

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Which of the following would have the most kinetic energy? Pick the best answer.

• A huge train driving at 125 miles per hour

• A very small car driving at 125 miles per hour

• A motorcycle driving at 100 miles per hour

• A huge truck driving at 3 miles per hour

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Which of the following graphs best represents the relationship between mass and kinetic energy? Hint: Think about this... As mass goes up, kinetic energy goes ___________.

• a.

• b.

• c.

• d.

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Which of the following graphs best represents what happens to the amount of kinetic energy an object has as it speeds up? Think about this... As speed increases, kinetic energy goes ___________.

• a.

• b.

• c.

• d.

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Two bowling balls both have a mass of 5 kilograms. The black bowling ball is travelling towards the pins at 6 meters per second. The yellow bowling ball is traveling at 8 meters per second. Which bowling ball has the most kinetic energy, and why? Pick the best answer.

• a. Both bowling balls have the same kinetic energy because they have the same mass.

• b. The yellow bowling ball has the most kinetic energy because it has the most mass.

• c. The yellow bowling ball has the most kinetic energy because it has the faster speed.

• d. The black bowling ball has the most kinetic energy because it has the most mass.

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Two asteroids in space are heading straight towards Earth. - Asteroid A is traveling at 100 miles per hour. - Asteroid B is traveling at 60 miles per hour. What additional information do you need to know to figure out how much kinetic energy each asteroid will have when they hit Earth?

• a. the mass of the asteroids

• b. how far each asteroid is from Earth

• c. the density of Earth

• d. the speed that each asteroid is moving

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NGSS.MS-PS3-1

How do mass and speed relate to kinetic energy? Pick the best answer.

• a. As mass and speed go up, the kinetic energy of an object increases.

• b. As mass and speed go down, the kinetic energy of an object increases.

• c. Increasing mass decreases kinetic energy. Increasing speed increases kinetic energy.

• d. Increasing mass increases kinetic energy. Decreasing speed increases kinetic energy.

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