Mosses don't spread by dispersing seeds; they disperse tiny spores. the spores are so small that they will stay aloft and move with the wind, but getting them to be windborne requires the moss to shoot the spores upward. some species do this by using a spore-containing capsule that dries out and shrinks. the pressure of the air trapped inside the capsule increases. at a certain point, the capsule pops, and a stream of spores is ejected upward at 3.6 m/s, reaching an ultimate height of 20 cm.

a)

what fraction of the initial kinetic energy is converted to the final potential energy?

express your answer numerically.

ufki =

b)

what happens to the "lost" energy?

choose the correct answer

it has been transformed into thermal energy of the spores and surrounding air.
it has been transformed into thermal energy of the spores and potential energy of surrounding air.
it has been transformed into potential energy of the spores and kinetic energy of surrounding air.
it has been transformed into potential energy of the spores and surrounding air.