WorksheetsPractice Test for Lesson 1: Mechanical Energy
Total questions: 40
Worksheet time: 1hrs 20mins
The energy an object has because it is moving is called what?
mechanical energy
kinetic energy
potential energy
energy
How quickly an object speeds up as it falls toward the ground because of the pull of a gravitational field is called what?
gravitational acceleration
gravitational potential energy
elastic potential energy
potential energy
The stored energy of an object because of its position or shape is called what?
mechanical energy
kinetic energy
potential energy
energy
The ability to do work is called what?
mechanical energy
kinetic energy
potential energy
energy
What are the two variables that determine gravitational potential energy?
mass and height
mass and speed
height and speed
energy and speed
What are the two variables that determine kinetic energy?
mass and height
mass and speed
height and speed
energy and speed
The stored energy of an object because of its position above the ground in a gravitational field is called what?
kinetic energy
gravitational acceleration
elastic potential energy
gravitational potential energy
The fact that “energy cannot be created or destroyed” because the total amount of energy in the universe never changes is called what?
potential energy
Law of Conservation of Energy
kinetic energy
mechanical energy
The stored energy of an object because it can be stretched or compressed, such as a spring and rubber band, is called what?
mechanical energy
gravitational potential energy
elastic potential energy
kinetic energy
The total amount of work an object can do because of the object’s kinetic and potential energies is called what?
energy
gravitational acceleration
mechanical energy
Law of Conservation of Energy
If an object is on top of a hill or in a position raised above the ground, it must have ____________________.
kinetic energy
gravitational potential energy
elastic potential energy
chemical potential energy
A stretched rubber band has what type of energy?
kinetic energy
gravitational potential energy
elastic potential energy
chemical potential energy
The potential energy of an object depends on its ____________________ and its ____________________.
distance, time
speed, height
mass, speed
mass, height
Potential energy is ____________________ energy.
motion
stored
thermal
chemical
In which diagram does the ball have the greatest potential energy?
A
B
C
D
Kinetic energy is the energy of ____________________.
stored energy
motion
heat
objects interacting with gravity
A dump truck, a sports car, and a bicycle are traveling at the same velocity. Which is true?
They all have the same kinetic energy.
The sports car has the most kinetic energy.
The bicycle has the least kinetic energy.
More information is needed to compare their kinetic energy.
Examine the data and graph below to answer the question. What happens to the kinetic energy when the MASS of a moving object increases?
The kinetic energy does not change.
The kinetic energy gradually increases by the same factor as the mass increase.
The kinetic energy quickly increases by the square of the same factor as the mass increase.
The kinetic energy decreases by the same factor as the mass increase.
Examine the data and graph below to answer the question. What happens to the kinetic energy of an object when its SPEED increases?
The kinetic energy does not change.
The kinetic energy gradually increases by the same factor as the speed increase.
The kinetic energy quickly increases by the square of the same factor as the speed increase.
The kinetic energy decreases by the same factor as the speed increase.
The kinetic energy of an object depends on its ____________________ and its ____________________.
distance, time
speed, height
mass, speed
mass, height
In every energy transformation, some energy is always “lost” as ____________________ energy.
chemical
radiant
electrical
thermal (heat)
Which equation is correct?
mechanical energy = kinetic energy – potential energy
mechanical energy = potential energy – kinetic energy
mechanical energy = kinetic energy + potential energy
mechanical energy = kinetic energy × potential energy
When two surfaces interact, some mechanical energy leaves the system as thermal energy due to ____________________.
surrounding heat
water
friction
fusion
Doug builds a model roller coaster with three hills, as shown in the diagram. He places a toy car at the top of the first hill and releases it. The car stops at point X. *QUESTION: Which change to the model would allow the toy car to travel over all three hills?
Add a loop before the first hill in order to maximize the kinetic energy of the car. RATIONALE: The loop would not provide the gravitational potential energy to go over the first hill.
Add a loop after the tallest hill in order to maximize the kinetic energy of the car. RATIONALE: The loop would not provide the gravitational potential energy to drive the rest of the ride.
Order the three hills from shortest to tallest so that the potential energy builds up according to the height of each hill. RATIONALE: This kind of roller coaster would need to be entirely mechanically driven instead of driven by energy as is the intention. In a normal roller coaster, the first hill is the only portion that is mechanically driven and then the rest of the ride is an extension of the energy transfer from potential to kinetic energy from the first to the highest hill.
Order the three hills from tallest to shortest to provide the potential energy needed for the car to make it over each hill. RATIONALE: A tall hill at the beginning of the roller coaster would provide the necessary energy to propel the car through the rest of the track. The first hill must provide enough energy or the car will not make it to the end of the track.
Which best describes the changes in energy as a child goes down a slide?
Potential energy decreases and kinetic energy increases.
Potential energy is constant and kinetic energy increases.
Potential and kinetic energy are constant.
Mechanical energy decreases.
Looking at the picture, which one of the following statements is correct about the girl and the car?
The car has less kinetic energy because it has more mass than the girl.
The car has the most kinetic energy because it has more mass than the girl.
The car and the girl have the same amount of kinetic energy because they are moving at the same speed.
The girl has the most kinetic energy because she has less mass than the car.
Look at the picture. Car 1 and Car 2 have the same mass. Which one of the following statements is true?
Car 1 has the most kinetic energy because it is moving at a faster rate of speed.
Car 2 has the least amount of kinetic energy because it is actually smaller than car one.
Car 2 has the most kinetic energy because it is moving at a slower rate of speed.
Car 1 has the least amount of kinetic energy because it is moving at a faster rate of speed.
When does an object have no kinetic energy?
When it's at rest (not moving).
When it's moving very slowly.
When the only force that's acting on it is gravity.
When it has no electrical charge.
Which object has the most potential energy?
A ball resting on the ground.
A ball being thrown at 100 miles per hour.
A ball on top of a refrigerator.
A ball resting on the edge of a cliff.
What is the formula for calculating mechanical energy?
(*HINT: Kinetic Energy = KE; Mechanical Energy = ME; Potential Energy = PE)
ME = KE + PE
ME = KE x PE
ME = KE / PE
ME = KE - PE
Which one of the following is an example of kinetic energy?
A still rock.
A parked bicycle.
A charged battery.
A moving car.
Which one of the following is an example of potential energy?
A falling leaf.
Water flowing down a river.
A person jogging around a track.
A book resting on a high shelf.
Which of the following best describes the law of conservation of energy?
Energy can only be converted from one form to another.
Energy can be created or destroyed, but never transferred or transformed.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed.
Energy is constantly being created and destroyed.
When a person rides a bicycle up a hill, what happens to their potential energy?
It decreases.
It increases.
It remains constant.
It transforms into kinetic energy.
When a person rides a skateboard down a hill, what happens to their kinetic energy?
It decreases.
It increases.
It remains constant.
It transforms into potential energy.
Looking at the picture, at which point is potential energy the greatest for the car as it moves on the roller coaster track?
W
X
Y
Z
Looking at the picture, at which point is kinetic energy the greatest for the car as it moves on the roller coaster track?
W
X
Y
Z
Looking at the picture of the swinging pendulum, which number shows kinetic energy at its maximum?
1
2
3
4
5
Looking at the picture of the swinging pendulum, which number shows potential energy at its maximum?
1 and 5
2 and 4
3 only
5 only
Which statement best describes friction and how it affects mechanical energy?
Friction is a force that improves the motion of an object and increases its mechanical energy.
Friction is a type of energy that is always helpful to systems that use mechanical energy.
Friction is a force that opposes motion and it can convert mechanical energy into thermal energy (heat), which reduces the total amount of mechanical energy in a system.
Friction is a force that has no effect on mechanical energy.
