What is energy

The question asks for the scientific definition of energy. We need to select the statement that most accurately captures what energy is.

Energy is defined as the property that allows work to be done on an object — it gives objects the capacity to change or move. This is the core scientific meaning of the term.

Force, speed, and weight × height all describe related but different physical quantities. Force causes acceleration, speed describes motion, and weight × height relates to gravitational potential energy — none of these define energy itself.

The correct definition is 'the property that gives objects the capacity to change or move', which matches the scientific definition precisely.

We need to identify the best scientific definition of energy from the four options given.

This describes force, not energy. Force and energy are related but distinct concepts — force is measured in newtons, energy in joules.

This describes speed or velocity, which is a property of moving objects. While moving objects have kinetic energy, speed itself is not the definition of energy.

This resembles the formula for gravitational potential energy ($m\times g\times h$), but uses weight rather than mass, and only describes one specific form of energy — not energy in general.

'The property that gives objects the capacity to change or move' is the correct scientific definition of energy, as it captures its fundamental meaning.

The skateboarder starts at rest at the top of the ramp (high position, not moving) and ends moving at the bottom (low position, fast). At the top, the skateboarder has gravitational potential energy because of their elevated position.

As the skateboarder descends, height decreases, so gravitational potential energy (GPE) decreases. Since they are speeding up, kinetic energy (KE) increases. The GPE is being converted into KE.

The transformation goes from GPE → KE, because height is lost and speed is gained. This is the same as a falling object converting stored height energy into movement energy.

The correct answer is 'Gravitational potential energy → kinetic energy'.

We need to identify the correct energy transformation for a skateboarder sliding from the top to the bottom of a ramp.

This is the reverse transformation — it describes what happens when the skateboarder moves up the ramp, not down. At the top, they start at rest, so kinetic energy is zero.

Elastic potential energy is stored in stretched or compressed materials like springs. There is no elastic component described in this scenario.

Chemical energy → kinetic energy would apply when muscles burn food energy to push the skateboard. Here the skateboarder is sliding passively down the ramp due to gravity, not actively pushing.

'Gravitational potential energy → kinetic energy' is correct, as the skateboarder converts stored height energy into movement energy as they descend.