Stable, Unstable, and Neutral Equilibrium

The video explains the concept of gravitational potential energy in different objects. It describes how the energy of a ball remains constant regardless of its position, resulting in a horizontal line on a graph. The water bottle is in stable equilibrium as its energy increases when moved away from equilibrium, causing it to return naturally. Conversely, the dry erase marker is in unstable equilibrium, with its energy decreasing as it moves away, causing it to move further from equilibrium.

What does the graph of gravitational potential energy look like for a ball with constant energy?

• A curved line

• A vertical line

• A horizontal line

• A diagonal line

Why does a water bottle in stable equilibrium return to its equilibrium position?

• Its center of mass goes down

• Its gravitational potential energy decreases

• Its gravitational potential energy increases

• It loses kinetic energy

What happens to the center of mass of a water bottle as it moves away from equilibrium?

• It remains constant

• It moves sideways

• It goes up

• It goes down

In unstable equilibrium, what happens to the gravitational potential energy of a dry erase marker as it moves away from equilibrium?

• It fluctuates

• It increases

• It remains constant

• It decreases

What is the behavior of a dry erase marker in unstable equilibrium when it loses gravitational potential energy?

• It returns to equilibrium

• It moves further away from equilibrium

• It stays in place

• It oscillates around equilibrium