As a roller coaster car descends a hill, which of the following is true of the kinetic and gravitational potential energies of the car?

This option incorrectly suggests that as the car descends, its kinetic energy decreases and potential energy increases. In reality, the opposite occurs; the car speeds up (increasing kinetic energy) as it loses height (decreasing potential energy). This choice misrepresents the energy dynamics involved in the descent.

While potential energy does decrease as the car descends, the assertion that kinetic energy remains constant is false. The car gains speed as it descends, which means kinetic energy must increase. Therefore, this option fails to accurately depict the changes in energy during the descent.

This choice is incorrect because both forms of energy are not constant. As the roller coaster descends, potential energy decreases while kinetic energy increases, contradicting the idea that both remain unchanged. Energy transformations are key to understanding the motion of the roller coaster.