A bicycle rider notices he is approaching a hill Explain in terms of energy why the bicyclist pedals hard to gain as much speed as possible on level road before reaching the hill?

Answer 1

By going faster the cyclist is storing up kinetic energy which he can spend in rising the hill. If lucky there will be no struggling with the pedals grinding up the hill, and might even coast over it. Without this energy pre-storage, the cyclist would have to provide energy at a rate fast enough to prevent him slowing down too much and falling off and the cyclist might not be capable of this (rate of supply of energy = power).

Answer 2

The cyclist pedals hard on level road to increase his kinetic energy, which will help him maintain speed as he starts climbing the hill. By building up speed on the flat terrain, the cyclist decreases the amount of potential energy he needs to convert into kinetic energy as he climbs, making the ascent easier. This strategy allows the cyclist to conserve energy and tackle the hill more efficiently.