Gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic energy
Explanation:
There are two forms of energy involved in the situation described in the problem:
- Gravitational potential energy: it is the energy possessed by a body due to its position in the gravitational field. Near the Earth surface, it is given by [tex]U=mgh[/tex], where m is the mass of the body, g is the acceleration of gravity, h is the height of the object from the ground
- Kinetic energy: it is the energy possessed by a body due to its motion. It is given by [tex]K=\frac{1}{2}mv^2[/tex], where m is the mass of the body and v its speed.
In this problem, Sonja and the bike starts from the top of the hill and they ride downhill. As they go downhill, their altitude from the ground (h) decreases, so their gravitational potential energy decreases; at the same time, since the total energy is conserved (in absence of friction or air resistance), the speed of the bike and Sonja increases, and their kinetic energy increases. Therefore, there is a conversion of energy from gravitational potential to kinetic.
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