Two students make the following claims:Student 1 claims that the work done by the gravitational force on an object as it falls depends only on the vertical distance of the fall. Student 2 claims that the gravitational force does less work on an object that falls gradually along a shallow incline than one that falls along a steeper incline. The students run several trials of an experiment in which a cart is allowed to travel down an incline that can be set at different angles. the cart is released from the same height h in each trial and the following measurements are made:a. the angle θ of the inclineb. the distance d the cart travels along the inclinec. the time t it takes the cart to move down the inclined. the speed v of the cart at the bottom of the incline

Question

Physics

Kaiya Cook

28 February, 15:35

Two students make the following claims:Student 1 claims that the work done by the gravitational force on an object as it falls depends only on the vertical distance of the fall. Student 2 claims that the gravitational force does less work on an object that falls gradually along a shallow incline than one that falls along a steeper incline. The students run several trials of an experiment in which a cart is allowed to travel down an incline that can be set at different angles. the cart is released from the same height h in each trial and the following measurements are made:a. the angle θ of the inclineb. the distance d the cart travels along the inclinec. the time t it takes the cart to move down the inclined. the speed v of the cart at the bottom of the incline

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Elise Boyd · Answer 1

E: Student 1 is correct, because as θ is increased, h remains the same.

Explanation:

The solve the question, we note that the object placed at height h has a potential energy P. E. also known as the gravitational potential energy given by;

P. E. = m*g*h

Where:

m = Mass m

g = Acceleration due to gravity

h = vertical distance

As such, from the principle of energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can be changed from one form to another

Therefore the gravitational force on an object as it falls depends on only the vertical height as the mass, m and the acceleration due to gravity, g are both constant in the experiment.