A block of ice slides freely [no air resistance, no friction] down a slippery slope. The block starts from rest at the top of the slope, where it has a vertical height of 4 m above the bottom of the slope and where it has a gravitational energy of 1000 J. At a quarter of the way down the slope, the block's gravitational energy is

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gravitational potential energy decreases linearly with height. At a quarter of the way down, the block has descended 1 m, leaving it 3 m above the bottom. Thus, it retains 3/4 of its initial gravitational energy: 3/4 * 1000 J = 750 J.

A Block of Ice Slides Freely [No Air Resistance, No