Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Item RG069003 ~ Student Performance

A person hits a musical instrument called a triangle. When it is hit, the triangle starts to vibrate, and a sound is produced. After a while, the vibration and sound stop.

How does the energy of the triangle change and why?

The energy of the triangle decreases the entire time. Some energy is destroyed as the person hits the triangle, and some energy is transferred away from the triangle by sound.
The energy of the triangle increases the entire time. Energy is transferred to the triangle as the person hits the triangle, and no energy is transferred away from the triangle by sound.
The energy of the triangle increases when it is hit, and then the energy decreases. Energy is transferred from the person to the triangle as the person hits it, and then energy is transferred away from the triangle by sound after the person stops hitting it.
The energy of the triangle does not change during this process. Energy is not transferred to the triangle when the person hits it, and energy is not transferred away from the triangle by sound.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice		Overall	Grades			Gender		Primary Language
		n = 4796	4–5 n = 933	6–8 n = 1964	9–12 n = 1899	Male n = 2232	Female n = 2431	English n = 4281	Other n = 358
A.	The energy of the triangle decreases the entire time. Some energy is destroyed as the person hits the triangle, and some energy is transferred away from the triangle by sound.	22%	26%	25%	17%	23%	21%	22%	22%
B.	The energy of the triangle increases the entire time. Energy is transferred to the triangle as the person hits the triangle, and no energy is transferred away from the triangle by sound.	11%	15%	10%	9%	11%	11%	11%	15%
C.	The energy of the triangle increases when it is hit, and then the energy decreases. Energy is transferred from the person to the triangle as the person hits it, and then energy is transferred away from the triangle by sound after the person stops hitting it.	60%	50%	57%	68%	59%	62%	61%	53%
D.	The energy of the triangle does not change during this process. Energy is not transferred to the triangle when the person hits it, and energy is not transferred away from the triangle by sound.	7%	9%	7%	6%	7%	7%	6%	11%

Science Assessment

Item RG069003: Energy is transferred from a person to a triangle as the person hits it, and then energy is transferred away from the triangle by sound after the person stops hitting it.