Passage II
Figure 1 shows a model of an amusement park ride. At time = 0 sec, the cart is released from rest at Point P. It descends the tower toward Point Q and strikes the spring. As the spring is compressed, it slows the carts descent and eventually rebounds, sending the cart back up the tower. Frictional forces act on the cart whenever it is in motion, and the spring never extends above Point Q. Figure 2 shows computer simulations of the cart's height (the distance from ground level to the bottom of the cart), its velocity, and its acceleration during the first 20 sec of motion.
12. The gravitational potential energy of the cart is greatest at approximately what time during the 20 sec period?
Your Answer is
Correct Answer is F
Explanation
General knowledge questions.
Gravitational potential energy PE=mgh. The greater the height, the greater the PE. From the first picture in figure 2, it can be seen that when the abscissa is 0 sec, the height of the ordinate is the largest, so choose F