Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Misconception EGM042

The gravitational potential energy of an object depends on the speed of the object (the gravitational potential energy increases as the object's speed increases) (Herrmann-Abell & DeBoer, 2010).

Items that test for misconception EGM042 in this project (ASPECt) and key idea ()
Item ID Number	Item Description	How Often the Misconception was Chosen
EG087001	A coconut has the most gravitational potential energy before it falls from a tree because a coconut is at the highest point above the ground before it falls.	36%
RG134002	An elevator carrying more mass will have more gravitational potential energy than an identical elevator carrying less mass because gravitational potential energy increases as mass increases.	32%
EG091001	Two airplanes that are flying at same distance from the ground will have the same amount of gravitational potential energy if they have the same mass.	23%
EG090002	Two identical balls that are thrown up in the air will have the same amount of gravitational potential energy when they are at the same height above the ground.	16%
EG019005	When a bird is flying with a stick in its mouth, the bird has more gravitational potential energy because it weighs more than the stick.	15%
EG067002	The gravitational potential energy of a space shuttle increases as it gets higher in the sky.	12%