Question

Given a ball with a mass of 2.00 kg at a height of 12.00 m from the ground, a ball with a mass of 2.00 kg at a height of 7.00 m from the ground, and a ball with a mass of 4.00 kg with a height of 5.00 m from the ground. Which of these masses have the largest gravitational potential energy relative to the ground? A) 2.00 kg at 12.0 mB) 2.00 kg at 7.00mC) 4.00 at 5.00 mD)both the 2.00 kg have the same highest energy E) all do these masses have the same energy

Answer 1

U=The potential energy is given by:

$U=mgh$

To determine which mass has the greater potential energy we calculate the energy for each of them.

Mass of 2 kg at 12 m height:

$U=(2)(9.8)(12)=235.2$

Mass of 2 kg at 7 m height:

$U=(2)(9.8)(7)=137.2$

Mass of 4 kg at 5 m height:

$U=(4)(9.8)(5)=196$

From the energies we calculated we notice that the 2 kg mass at a height of 12 m has the largest potential energy, therefore the answer is A