Irving, a cat, has a favorite toy that is made up of a squeaky ball at the end of a string. The toy makes up a closed system. Irving’s owner dangles the toy so that the ball swings down and then swings back up again.
Answer
A
As the ball moves upward, both kinetic and potential energy decrease.
B
As the ball moves downward, both kinetic and potential energy increase.
C
As the ball moves upward, kinetic energy decreases and potential energy increases.
D
As the ball moves downward, kinetic energy decreases and potential energy increases.
Explanation
As the ball swings upward, it slows down, so its kinetic energy decreases. At the same time, it gains height, so its gravitational potential energy increases. In a closed system, energy changes form rather than disappearing.
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