A spacecraft's return capsule is descending back to Earth. To ensure a safe landing, the capsule is slowed down first by a large parachute and then by firing retro-rockets (which provide an upward thrust) just before it reaches the ground.
Describe the energy changes that occur, in terms of the work done by the forces acting on the capsule, as it descends to a safe stop.
57 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 8.1 Energy transfers and work, covering 8.1.1 Energy stores and transfer diagrams, 8.1.2 Ways of changing a system's energy, and 8.1.3 Work done by forces. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.