A student drops a small metal sphere from a vertical height of 2.5 m2.5\text{ m}2.5 m above the ground. The sphere falls to the ground and does not bounce after hitting the ground.
Describe the transfers of energy of the sphere between stores from when the sphere is released to after it has hit the ground.
Calculate the maximum speed of the sphere. Ignore air resistance. (Take g=9.8 m/s2g = 9.8\text{ m/s}^2g=9.8 m/s2)
Show your working.
533 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 1.7 Energy, work and power, covering 1.7.1a Energy stores and energy transfers, 1.7.1b Conservation of energy, 1.7.1c Kinetic and gravitational potential energy, 1.7.2 Work done, 1.7.3 Energy resources, 1.7.3a Energy resources and electricity generation, 1.7.3b Nuclear fusion as an energy source, 1.7.3c Efficiency of energy transfer, and 1.7.4 Power. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.