Science Assessment ~ Items ~ NG013002

A rubber ball speeds up as it falls toward the floor. How do the motion energy (kinetic energy) and gravitational potential energy of the ball change as it falls and why?

Both the motion energy and gravitational potential energy increase because new energy is always made as an object moves.
Both the motion energy and gravitational potential energy decrease because energy is always used up as an object moves and is not transformed into any other form of energy.
The motion energy decreases and the gravitational potential energy increases because the motion energy is transformed into gravitational potential energy.
The motion energy increases and the gravitational potential energy decreases because the gravitational potential energy is transformed into motion energy.

Details
Performance
NGSS

Topic
Correct Answer: D
Misconceptions

Distribution of Responses

Chart showing distrubtion of responses for Item 013002

Students Responding Correctly

Group	Correct	Total	Percent
Overall	1376	4320	32%
Grades
6–8	723	2661	27%
9–12	648	1643	39%
Gender
Male	667	2100	32%
Female	685	2132	32%
Primary Language
English	1257	3885	32%
Other	80	321	25%

View data table

NRC Framework: PS3.A …lifting an object increases the stored energy in the gravitational field between that object and Earth (gravitational potential energy) compared to that for the object at Earth’s surface; when the object falls, the stored energy decreases and the object’s kinetic energy increases.

Science Assessment

Item NG013002: As a rubber balls falls to the floor, the motion energy of the ball increases and the gravitational potential energy of the ball decreases because the gravitational potential energy is transformed into motion energy.