ASPECt
Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation
Item NG004004: Gravitational potential energy is transformed into motion energy as a rock falls from a cliff.
A rock falls from a cliff to the ground below. As it falls, its speed increases. Is energy transformed while the rock is falling? Explain.
- Yes, kinetic energy (motion energy) is transformed into gravitational potential energy as the rock falls.
- Yes, gravitational potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy (motion energy) as the rock falls.
- No, because the rock lost all of its gravitational potential energy once it started to move.
- No, because one form of energy cannot be transformed into another form of energy.
- Distribution of Responses
- Scale Score for Item Difficulty
(200[Easy]-800[Difficult]) - 489
- Students Responding Correctly
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 658 | 1347 | 49% |
| Grades | |||
| 4–5 | 91 | 229 | 40% |
| 6–8 | 315 | 677 | 47% |
| 9–12 | 252 | 441 | 57% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 338 | 643 | 53% |
| Female | 308 | 677 | 45% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 597 | 1214 | 49% |
| Other | 52 | 114 | 46% |