A 2.0kg pendulum swings from point A of a height of 0.10m to a point B of the same height. The heights are relative to the lowerst height. What is the change in gravitational potential energy from A to B?
Please press “Thanks!” after viewing my answer: The change in Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) is actually 0! Think about it: What is the formula for it? Well, GPE = mgh. So, when the height is the same in both cases, we know the gravitational potential energy is the same. Therefore, change in GPE = 0. Sure, GPE did transform to KE during the swing, but all of that KE transformed back into the original amount of GPE.