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AP Physics C: Mechanics
3.3 Potential Energy
IntermediateMCQGraphicalMathematicalConceptual21.8k
A 2D Cartesian graph with a horizontal axis labeled x and a vertical axis labeled U(x), with no gridlines. A single continuous smooth solid curve represents potential energy. Starting at the top left with high potential energy, the curve slopes steeply downward to the right through a solid dot labeled x_1, reaches a smooth rounded local minimum with a horizontal tangent at a solid dot labeled x_2, ascends with a moderate positive slope through a solid dot labeled x_3, and curves upward more steeply through a solid dot labeled x_4. From each of the four dots, a vertical dashed line extends straight down to the horizontal axis where the corresponding position labels x_1, x_2, x_3, and x_4 appear along the axis. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
Graph of potential energy U(x) as a function of position x.
A particle of mass \(m\) is constrained to move along the \(x\)-axis in a region where its potential energy \(U(x)\) varies with position as shown in the graph. Four locations along the \(x\)-axis are labeled \(x_1\), \(x_2\), \(x_3\), and \(x_4\), where \(x_2\) corresponds to a local minimum of \(U(x)\). Which of the following correctly ranks the \(x\)-component of the net conservative force \(F_x\) exerted on the particle at these four positions from greatest to least?

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