Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Item RG097002 ~ Student Performance

A player rolls Ball A toward Ball B as pictured in Figure 1. Then Ball A hits Ball B. Both balls continue to roll after the collision as shown in Figure 2.

Which of the following statements correctly describes Ball A’s speed in Figure 2 compared to its speed in Figure 1?

Ball A is moving faster in Figure 2 because it gained energy from hitting Ball B.
Ball A is moving slower in Figure 2 because it transferred energy to Ball B when the balls hit each other.
Ball A is moving slower in Figure 2 because some energy was destroyed when the balls hit each other.
Ball A is moving at the same speed because no energy was transferred when the balls hit each other.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice		Overall	Grades			Gender		Primary Language
		n = 3771	4–5 n = 835	6–8 n = 1587	9–12 n = 1349	Male n = 1710	Female n = 1940	English n = 3364	Other n = 269
A.	Ball A is moving faster in Figure 2 because it gained energy from hitting Ball B.	14%	24%	13%	10%	13%	15%	14%	20%
B.	Ball A is moving slower in Figure 2 because it transferred energy to Ball B when the balls hit each other.	60%	47%	60%	68%	63%	59%	61%	53%
C.	Ball A is moving slower in Figure 2 because some energy was destroyed when the balls hit each other.	19%	21%	20%	16%	17%	20%	19%	18%
D.	Ball A is moving at the same speed because no energy was transferred when the balls hit each other.	7%	8%	7%	6%	7%	6%	7%	9%

Science Assessment

Item RG097002: After one ball collides with another, the first ball moves slower because it transferred energy to the second ball when the balls hit each other.