Suppose you kick a soccer ball straight up to a height of 10 meters. Which of the following is true about the gravitational potential energy of the ball during its flight?
A) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant when the ball is at its highest point.
B) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant it returns to hit the ground.
C) The ball's gravitational potential energy is always the same.
D) The ball's gravitational potential energy is greatest at the instant the ball leaves your foot.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ball's gravitational potential energy is highest when it is at its highest point because at that point, the ball has the maximum potential to fall back to the ground due to gravity. As the ball falls back to the ground, its potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, and it reaches its maximum speed just before hitting the ground. Therefore, the ball's gravitational potential energy is at its lowest at the moment of impact with the ground.

Suppose You Kick a Soccer Ball Straight Up to a Height