What Happens to Energy When You Throw a Rock?

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Biologik
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the transfer of energy when a rock is thrown, focusing on the kinetic energy involved in the process. Participants explore the mechanisms of energy transfer from the thrower's hand to the rock, touching on concepts of motion and energy conversion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that kinetic energy from the hand is transferred to the rock, accelerating it as a result.
  • One participant emphasizes that energy is transferred through the atoms of the throwing hand to the rock, suggesting a physical interaction at the atomic level.
  • A participant in 8th grade expresses a desire for explanations that are accessible and not overly technical, while also questioning the nature of energy transfer during the act of throwing.
  • Another participant references a Wikipedia definition of kinetic energy, discussing how energy is maintained unless the speed changes, and mentions the biological energy conversion involved in the act of throwing.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that kinetic energy is transferred from the hand to the rock, but the discussion remains exploratory with varying levels of understanding and expression of the concepts involved.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the technical language used and seek clarification that is appropriate for their educational level. There are also references to merging threads, indicating a potential for confusion or overlap in discussions.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students learning about energy transfer, educators seeking to understand student perspectives, and anyone interested in the mechanics of motion and energy in physical actions.

Biologik
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You throw a rock. What is happening to that rock, and how is the energy transferred?
 
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What do you think, just to get the discussion started?
 
jtbell said:
What do you think, just to get the discussion started?
Well I think the kinetic energy from your hand is transferred from the atoms in your hand to the atoms in the rock and thereby accelerating it.
 
Not a stupid question.

When you throw a rock, the kinetic energy from your hand is transferred from your hand to the rock thereby accelerating the rock correct? This is what I think, correct me if I am wrong.
 
Two threads started by the OP on the same topic have been merged.

Zz.
 
Transfer of Kinetic energy.

1.I am in 8th grade
2. I am 13 years old
3. Don't answer like I'm a physicist
4.Don't answer like I'm a retard
5.Do answer like I'm in High school.

Here is the question:

Kinetic energy is transferred from one object to another by transferring the energy through the atoms of the object sending the kinetic energy right? Once the energy is transferred from the sending object, the energy that the sending object had, now the receiving object has correct? So if it was pushing forward, now the object moves forward.


If this is grounds for a warning I really don't know what else to do.
 
ZapperZ said:
Two threads started by the OP on the same topic have been merged.

Zz.

No one is going to reply. That's why I made a new one.
 
When you throw a rock, the kinetic energy from your hand is transferred from your hand to the rock thereby accelerating the rock correct?

Sounds good!


Here is how wikipedia describes it, and does a good job:

The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.[1] It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its current velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes. Negative work of the same magnitude would be required to return the body to a state of rest from that velocity.

See EXAMPLES for some specific applications. In your example, the hand get's it's energy from muscles burning up calories to move the arm, hand, ball and also the brain to coordinate the activity...and so "biological" energy is converted to kinetic energy.
 

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