Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Item RG133002 ~ Student Performance

A planet has a moon that orbits around the planet. The moon was hit by a meteor that affected the moon’s orbit and increased the distance between the moon and the planet.

What is true about the gravitational potential energy of the new arrangement of the planet and its moon? (Assume the total mass of the moon is not changed when it is hit by the meteor.)

The gravitational potential energy would be less.
The gravitational potential energy would be greater.
The gravitational potential energy would be unchanged.
There is not enough information to determine the effect on gravitational potential energy.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice	Overall	Grades			Gender		Primary Language
	n = 1496	4–5 n = 0	6–8 n = 875	9–12 n = 621	Male n = 693	Female n = 754	English n = 1306	Other n = 134
A.	37%	N/A	33%	42%	41%	34%	37%	35%
B.	29%	N/A	29%	29%	27%	30%	28%	30%
C.	16%	N/A	18%	13%	16%	17%	16%	16%
D.	18%	N/A	20%	16%	16%	19%	18%	19%

Science Assessment

Item RG133002: The gravitational potential energy of a system containing a planet and a moon would be greater after the distance between the moon and planet increases..