Question 11SavedExplain why the skier's speed increases as their gravitational potential energy decreases.
Question
Question 11SavedExplain why the skier's speed increases as their gravitational potential energy decreases.
Solution
The skier's speed increases as their gravitational potential energy decreases due to the law of conservation of energy. Here are the steps to explain this:
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Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE): This is the energy that an object possesses because of its position relative to other objects, stresses within itself, its electric charge, and other factors. In this case, the skier has a high GPE at the top of the slope due to their position in the gravitational field.
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Conversion of Energy: As the skier starts to ski down the slope, the gravitational potential energy starts to convert into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and it depends on the speed and mass of the object.
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Increase in Speed: As more gravitational potential energy converts into kinetic energy, the speed of the skier increases. This is because the kinetic energy is directly proportional to the speed of the skier.
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Decrease in GPE: At the same time, as the skier is getting lower on the slope, their position in the gravitational field is changing, which results in a decrease in gravitational potential energy.
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Conservation of Energy: According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transferred or converted from one form to another. So, the decrease in gravitational potential energy is equal to the increase in kinetic energy (and hence speed) of the skier.
In conclusion, the skier's speed increases as their gravitational potential energy decreases because the energy is being converted from potential to kinetic, resulting in an increase in speed.
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