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Item EG020003: For two objects that are the same distance from the center of the earth, the object with more gravitational potential energy weighs more.

Object 1 and Object 2 are the same distance from the center of the earth, but Object 1 has more gravitational potential energy than Object 2. Does Object 1 weigh more than, less than, or the same as Object 2?

  1. Object 1 weighs more than Object 2.
  2. Object 1 weighs less than Object 2.
  3. Object 1 weighs the same as Object 2.
  4. More information is needed to compare the weights of the objects.
Distribution of Responses
Chart showing distrubtion of responses for Item EG020003
Scale Score for Item Difficulty
(200[Easy]-800[Difficult])
494
Students Responding Correctly
Group Correct Total Percent
Overall 1547 3249 48%
Grades
  6–8 809 1797 45%
  9–12 734 1442 51%
Gender
  Male740157047%
  Female774160148%
Primary Language
  English1365281049%
  Other13833142%

View data table

Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS3.A A system of objects may also contain stored (potential) energy, depending on their relative positions.
Notes
The relationship between mass and gravitational potential energy is not addressed in NGSS.