Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Item NG005004 ~ Student Performance

A boy holds a piece of clay above the floor. After he drops the clay, it speeds up as it falls. As it hits the floor, the clay flattens and gets a little warmer.

Which of the following describes the changes in the energy of the clay ball?

As the clay falls, its gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy (motion energy). As it hits the floor, its kinetic energy is converted to thermal energy.
As the clay falls, its kinetic energy (motion energy) is converted to gravitational potential energy. As it hits the floor, its gravitational potential energy is converted to thermal energy.
As the clay falls, its gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy (motion energy). As it hits the floor, its kinetic energy is used up but is not converted into thermal energy.
As the clay falls, its kinetic energy (motion energy) is converted to gravitational potential energy. As it hits the floor, its gravitational potential energy remains the same and is not converted into thermal energy.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice		Overall	Grades			Gender		Primary Language
		n = 1771	4–5 n = 405	6–8 n = 800	9–12 n = 566	Male n = 816	Female n = 916	English n = 1605	Other n = 127
A.	As the clay falls, its gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy (motion energy). As it hits the floor, its kinetic energy is converted to thermal energy.	47%	42%	47%	49%	49%	44%	47%	37%
B.	As the clay falls, its kinetic energy (motion energy) is converted to gravitational potential energy. As it hits the floor, its gravitational potential energy is converted to thermal energy.	25%	22%	25%	25%	22%	27%	24%	31%
C.	As the clay falls, its gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy (motion energy). As it hits the floor, its kinetic energy is used up but is not converted into thermal energy.	19%	24%	18%	17%	19%	19%	19%	23%
D.	As the clay falls, its kinetic energy (motion energy) is converted to gravitational potential energy. As it hits the floor, its gravitational potential energy remains the same and is not converted into thermal energy.	10%	12%	10%	8%	10%	9%	10%	9%

Science Assessment

Item NG005004: As a piece of clay falls, its gravitational potential energy is converted to motion energy, and as it hits the floor its motion energy is converted into thermal energy.