---
title: "Two identical small blocks are released from rest from the top of two different frictionless tracks, Track 1 and Track 2. Both tracks start at the same vertical height \\(H\\) above the ground and end at ground level, spanning the same total horizontal distance \\(L\\). Track 1 drops steeply at first and levels out near the bottom, while Track 2 is a straight incline. Which of the following correctly compares the final speed \\(v\\) of the blocks at the bottom of the tracks and the total travel time \\(\\Delta t\\) required for each block to reach the bottom?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/120644/"
date_modified: "2026-08-23T04:42:28+00:00"
---

# Two identical small blocks are released from rest from the top of two different frictionless tracks, Track 1 and Track 2. Both tracks start at the same vertical height \(H\) above the ground and end at ground level, spanning the same total horizontal distance \(L\). Track 1 drops steeply at first and levels out near the bottom, while Track 2 is a straight incline. Which of the following correctly compares the final speed \(v\) of the blocks at the bottom of the tracks and the total travel time \(\Delta t\) required for each block to reach the bottom?

Two identical small blocks are released from rest from the top of two different frictionless tracks, Track 1 and Track 2. Both tracks start at the same vertical height \(H\) above the ground and end at ground level, spanning the same total horizontal distance \(L\). Track 1 drops steeply at first and levels out near the bottom, while Track 2 is a straight incline. Which of the following correctly compares the final speed \(v\) of the blocks at the bottom of the tracks and the total travel time \(\Delta t\) required for each block to reach the bottom?

![A side-view diagram showing two tracks on a flat horizontal ground line. A vertical dashed line of height H is on the left, and a horizontal dimension line of length L marks the base. Track 1 starts at the top left at height H, curves downward steeply in a concave-up profile, and smoothly levels out to horizontal at ground level at distance L. Track 2 starts at the exact same top-left position and extends as a straight diagonal line to the same ground-level end point at distance L. A small square block is shown at rest at the top of Track 1 labeled 1, and an identical block is at the top of Track 2 labeled 2. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1787460148-iMlhYq.jpg)

- **A.** Final Speed: \(v_1 = v_2\) Travel Time: \(\Delta t_1 < \Delta t_2\)
- **B.** Final Speed: \(v_1 = v_2\) Travel Time: \(\Delta t_1 = \Delta t_2\)
- **C.** Final Speed: \(v_1 > v_2\) Travel Time: \(\Delta t_1 < \Delta t_2\)
- **D.** Final Speed: \(v_1 < v_2\) Travel Time: \(\Delta t_1 > \Delta t_2\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/120644/*