A flower pot of mass m falls from rest to the ground below,a distance h.Which statement is correct?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The potential energy lost by the pot as it falls is given by mgh, where m is the mass of the pot, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height from which the pot falls. This potential energy is converted into kinetic energy when the pot hits the ground. Therefore, the kinetic energy of the pot just before hitting the ground is also proportional to h, as KE = 1/2 mv^2. The mass of the pot does not affect the amount of potential or kinetic energy, so option C is also correct. The speed of the pot just before hitting the ground can be found using the conservation of energy as KE = 1/2 mv^2 = mgh, which simplifies to v = sqrt(2gh/m). Therefore, the speed of the pot just before hitting the ground does depend on the mass of the pot, making option D incorrect. Option A is also incorrect because the speed of the pot just before hitting the ground is not directly proportional to h.

A Flower Pot of Mass M Falls from Rest to the Ground