Potential and Kinetic Calculations

​Solving for Potential and Kinetic Energy

By Ms. Brown

kinetic energy

Multiple Choice

A cheetah can run briefly with a speed of 31 m/s. Suppose a cheetah with a mass of 47 kg runs at this speed. What is the cheetah’s kinetic energy?

• 1457 J

• 728.5 J

• 45,167 J

• 22,583.5 J

Multiple Choice

A ping pong ball has a mass of about 2.45 g. Suppose that ball is hit across the table with a speed of about 4.0 m/s. What is its kinetic energy?

• 19.6 J

• 0.0196 J

• 4.9 J

• 0.0049 J

Multiple Choice

What is the kinetic energy of a 26 kg eagle, flying at an altitude of 65 m at a speed of 19 m/s?

• 32,110 J

• 16,055 J

• 4693 J

• 247 J

Multiple Choice

A polar bear has an average mass of 500 kg. If its maximum kinetic energy is 60500 J, what is its top speed?

• 242 m/s

• 121 m/s

• 15.56 m/s

• 15,125,000 m/s

Multiple Choice

Energy due to motion is ____________ energy. 

• Potential 
• Energy
• Kinetic
• Friction

Multiple Choice

Lilly's cat ran through your yard. The cat has a mass of 5 kg. He is running at a speed of 3 m/s. What is the kinetic energy of the cat as he runs? (KE = 1/2mv²)

• 8.5 J

• 45 J

• 7.5 J

• 22.5 J

Potential energy

Multiple Choice

A toy car with a mass of 0.2 kg is placed on a ramp 5 meters high. What is the potential energy of the toy car?

• 0.5 Joules

• 2.5 Joules

• 15 Joules

• 9.8 Joules

Multiple Choice

A pencil with a mass of 0.1 kg is dropped from a height of 2 meters. What is the potential energy of the pencil just before it hits the ground?

• 1.96 Joules

• 0.02 Joules

• 2 Joules

• 0.2 Joules

Multiple Choice

A ball with a mass of 0.3 kg is thrown straight up into the air to a height of 6 meters. What is the potential energy of the ball at its highest point?

• 3.42 Joules

• 0.18 Joules

• 9.81 Joules

• 17.64 Joules

Multiple Choice

A book with a mass of 1.5 kg is placed on a shelf 4 meters high. What is the potential energy of the book?

• 0.5 J

• 10.2 J

• 100.5 J

• 58.8 J

Fill in the Blanks

A roller coaster car, 500 kg with its passengers, reaches the top of the first hill, 20 meters above the ground. (g = 9.8 m/s2) What is the GPE?

Multiple Choice

The Law of Conservation of Energy states:

• Energy can created or destroyed but not transformed

• Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only transformed

• Energy can't be created, destroyed or transformed

• Energy cannot be created or destroyed.

Multiple Choice

At which point kinetic energy is greatest?

• W

• X

• Y

• Z

Multiple Choice

Which of the following factors does not affect the gravitational potential energy of an object?

• Gravitational acceleration

• Speed

• Height

• Mass

Multiple Choice

In order to increase the gravitational potential energy of a roller coaster car, you could...

• increase the car's height

• decrease the car's height

• increase the car's velocity

• decrease the car's mass

Multiple Choice

• W
• X
• Y
• Z

Multiple Choice

Gravitational potential energy depends on the ________ and ________ of the object. 

• Height and mass
• Friction and movement
• Mass and Movement
• Height and Friction