A sphere rolls down a ramp of height h. What is the total mechanical energy at t
Practice Questions
Q1
A sphere rolls down a ramp of height h. What is the total mechanical energy at the top?
mgh
1/2 mv^2
mgh + 1/2 mv^2
0
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A sphere rolls down a ramp of height h. What is the total mechanical energy at the top?
Step 1: Understand that the total mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy.
Step 2: At the top of the ramp, the sphere is not moving, so its kinetic energy is zero.
Step 3: The only energy present at the top is potential energy, which is due to its height.
Step 4: The formula for potential energy is PE = mgh, where m is mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height of the ramp.
Step 5: Therefore, the total mechanical energy at the top is equal to the potential energy, which is mgh.
Potential Energy – At the top of the ramp, the sphere has gravitational potential energy given by the formula mgh, where m is mass, g is acceleration due to gravity, and h is height.
Mechanical Energy Conservation – The total mechanical energy in a closed system is conserved, meaning that at the top of the ramp, all energy is potential energy.
