Question

6. Assume you fired a bullet straight upward and assume also that there is no air present. Describe where you would have potential and kinetic energy changes. Also compare the velocity of the bullet at the beginning and the end. Explain your conclusions using the ideas of gravitational potential and kinetic energy. What would change in a real situation with air?

Answer 1

When we will fire a bullet from ground in upword direction. At this time it has total energy in from of kinetic energy. As it goes up than it's speed is decreasing and hight is increasing so kuetic energy is decreasing and potential energy is increasing.

At final top position velicity becomes zero. So kinetic energy becomes zero and total energy convert into potential energy.

Now bullet will come down and its velocity will increase.

When it will reach at initial point than it will get same kinetic energy

Where it was launched.

When air resistance is present than due to friction of air some energy will be lost in form of heat. So maximum hight will be less.

And final speed at launching point will be also less than launching speed.