Question

A 30 kg boy sitting on a 10 kg go-kart wants to travel down a hill of height 10 m, starting from rest.

a. What is the initial potential energy of the boy and go-kart together?
b. What is their initial kinetic energy?

Answer 1

a. Initial potential (gravitational potential)
Ep=mgh
Ep=(30+10)(9.8)(10)
Ep=(40)(98)
Ep=3920

b. Initial kinetic energy=0 as velocity is 0 (starts from rest) and Kinetic energy is = 1/2mv²