Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) Subject Area Practice Test

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Prepare for the FTCE subject area test with interactive quizzes, multiple choice questions, and in-depth explanations. Enhance your study with our comprehensive resources and boost your confidence for the exam.

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

In a pendulum, when does the bob possess the greatest potential energy?

At the bottom of the swing
At the center of the arc
When the bob is moving fastest
When the bob is at the top of the arc

The correct answer is: When the bob is at the top of the arc

The bob of a pendulum possesses the greatest potential energy when it is at the top of the arc. This is due to the fact that potential energy in a gravitational field is related to height. At the top of the swing, the bob has reached its maximum vertical displacement from its lowest point. As the bob swings up to the highest point, it converts kinetic energy into potential energy; hence, it has the most stored energy due to its height. Conversely, as the bob descends towards the center of the swing or the bottom of the arc, potential energy decreases while kinetic energy increases, reflecting the transformation of energy from one form to another. At the bottom of the swing, the kinetic energy is at its maximum due to the bob's highest speed, but potential energy is at its minimum, which further emphasizes the relationship between height and potential energy in the pendulum's motion.