Which of these is exhibiting kinetic energy?
A. A space station orbiting Earth
B. A rock on a mountain ledge
C. An archer with a flexed bow
D. A person sitting on a couch while watching TV
E. The high-energy phosphate bonds of a molecule of ATP
Answer: A. A space station orbiting Earth
Kinetic energy is the total work per unit mass that an object can do through motion. Thus, proper examples that reveal the concept of kinetic energy are supported by the description of a space station orbiting around the Earth among the given options. Since the space station is in orbit around our planet, while orbiting, it has great kinetic energy because of its speed. This motion is unending and critical in ensuring that it keeps up with its orbital path. Take for example the International Space Station which has been known to travel at the speed of approximately 7. 66 km/s = 266ooo km/h (165ooo mph). Unlike the previous case, these velocities are incredibly high, making the objects move incredibly fast. At such a speed, one would realize that the kinetic energy of the space station is off the roof. However, the other options are the forms of energy which are that potential energy or chemical energy and not kinetic energy. Again, a rock on a mountain cliff has gravitational potential energy because it is located at a certain height from the ground. An archer with a raised bow stores elastic potential energy in the part of the bow. A person sitting on a couch is practically static and therefore, lacks a considerable amount of kinetic energy. One of the ways, biological energy is stored is through high-energy phosphate bonds present in ATP; such energy is in the form of chemical energy that can be used to fuel cellular activities. One has to remember that in real-life situations, objects may contain more than one type of energy at a time. Thus, the space station’s motion in orbit presents a purity of kinetic energy among all the given alternatives.
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