Question

question 19 of 20
a system has both potential energy (pe) and kinetic energy (ke). according to the law of conservation of energy, what can happen to the total energy of the system?
a. it will change as ke is transformed to pe and pe is transformed to ke.
b. it will decrease over time as ke is destroyed.
c. it must stay the same, but ke can transformed to pe and pe can be transformed to ke within the system.
d. it can increase if energy is transferred into the system.

Explanation:

The law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant. Energy can be transformed from one form (kinetic energy, KE) to another (potential energy, PE) within the system, but the total amount of energy does not change in the absence of external energy transfer.

Answer:

C. It must stay the same, but KE can be transformed to PE and PE can be transformed to KE within the system.