Describe the transfers of energy occurring when a ball is thrown vertically up in the air and falls back down to Earth, assuming there is no friction from the air.

When the ball is thrown, chemical energy in the muscles of the person is transferred to the ball as kinetic energy. As the ball rises, kinetic energy is transferred to potential energy as the ball slows down and gets to be further from the ground. When the ball reaches its peak height all of its energy is in the form of potential energy, which as the ball begins to fall back down, coverts into kinetic energy as the ball speeds up.

OT
Answered by Oliver T. Physics tutor

43270 Views

See similar Physics GCSE tutors

Related Physics GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Using the principle of the conservation of energy, calculate the maximum speed of a ball of 5.0kg that has been dropped from a height of 20m. (Given that the gravitational field strength is equal to 9.8N/kg)


Explain Ohms Law


What is convection?


Why is it that spectral lines emitted from stars in distant galaxies appear to be shifted towards the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning