Question detail
Which of the following best describes the energy changes when a car accelerates?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Energy changes in a system, and the ways energy is stored before and after such changes
Question
- A. Kinetic energy is converted to thermal energy
- B. Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy
- C. Kinetic energy is converted to gravitational potential energy
- D. Thermal energy is converted to kinetic energy
Answer
Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy
Explanation
The correct option is "Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy". Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy is right because it directly matches Energy stores and systems: Describe energy-store changes when an object is accelerated by a constant force.. The other options are less suitable because they change the required Physics relationship, confuse the relevant energy store or use a distractor that does not answer the question.
Common mistake
Confusing work done with energy stored
Students often think that the energy stored in an object increases simply because work is done on it, without considering the type of energy store and the system’s constraints.
Explain that work done by a constant force changes the energy store of the object (e.g., kinetic, potential, or elastic) only if the force acts over a displacement; the amount of energy transferred equals the work (force × distance) and is stored as a specific form of energy, not as a generic ‘energy increase’.
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