Question

Study the following activity and answer the questions.
1. Take two aluminium channels of different lengths.
2. Place the lower ends of the channels on the floor and hold their upper ends at the same height.
3. Now take two balls of the same size and weight and release them from the end of them and they will roll down and cover the same distance.
As the balls roll down which energy is converted into which other form of energy ?

Answer 1

Hint: In order to solve this question we need to understand what the question is asking us if there are two balls which will be thrown from the same height then which energy is converted into which other form. The question also states that both the balls have the same size and weight along with this they will travel the same distance

Complete answer:
 When the balls get released they possess potential energy at that very moment. Then, as the balls move down, they lose their potential energy and convert it into kinetic energy.As we know that both the balls have the same size and weight the balls will move with the same velocity and because of the same velocity it will cover the amount of distance.

Therefore, as the balls roll down potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.

Additional information: This activity demonstrates the law of conservation of energy. At the top, the whole mechanical energy is in the form of potential energy, but when the balls come into motion potential energy gets destroyed and kinetic energy is created.Therefore, energy cannot be totally destroyed or created, it only changes its form.

Note: Many of the students in this kind of question make the mistake by applying all the conditions of the real world and they may take heat loss and energy into consideration, but in these types of question we assume that the aluminum channel is frictionless and no heat energy is produced and the end product is only kinetic energy and no friction play its role.