Question

When a rock is held above the ground, we say it has some potential energy. When we let it go, it falls and we say the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. Finally, the rock hits the ground. What has happened to the energy?

Answer 1

Answer:

The energy possessed by the body changes back to potential energy.

Explanation:

Once the rock hits the ground, it stops moving thereby converting the kinetic energy possessed by the body during fall to potential energy. This means that at the point the rock hits the ground, the velocity of the body becomes zero since potential energy is the energy of a body due to its virtue of its position and any object that is not moving has a zero velocity.

Answer 2

Answer:

The energy goes to producing sound and to heating the ground, rock, and surrounding air.

Explanation:

This is the explanation given in the Pearson learning course and textbook