Chapter 16 - Electric Potential, Energy, and Capacitance - Learning Path Questions and Exercises - Conceptual Questions - Page 590: 7

The ball would accelerate in the direction from the beach to the ocean. The beach is at higher gravitational potential energy, and the ocean is at a lower gravitational potential energy, and since the ball will always accelerate from higher potential energy to lower potential energy, it will accelerate from beach to the ocean.

The ball would accelerate in the direction from the beach to the ocean. The beach is at higher gravitational potential energy, and the ocean is at a lower gravitational potential energy, and since the ball will always accelerate from higher potential energy to lower potential energy, it will accelerate from beach to the ocean.