Question

An owl weighing 40N is sitting in a tree waiting to dive down to catch a mouse. If the owl's potential energy is 800 J with respect to the ground below, at what height above the ground is the owl?

h=PE/m

A. 81.63 m

B. 20 m

C. 2.04 m

Answer 1

Using the formula for gravitational potential energy, the owl with a potential energy of 800J at a weight of 40N is perched at a height of 20 meters above the ground.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking at what height above the ground an owl with a weight of 40N and potential energy of 800J is perched. To find the height, we use the formula for gravitational potential energy, PE = mg, where PE is potential energy, m is mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s²), and height.

We rearrange the formula to solve for h: h = PE / (mg). The weight (W) of the owl is the force due to gravity, so W = mg. Substituting the weight into the equation we get h = PE / W.

Substituting the given values: h = 800 J / 40 N = 20 m. Therefore, the owl is 20 meters above the ground.

Answer 2

h = 20 m

Step-by-step explanation:

Gravitational Potential Energy

Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is the energy stored in an object due to its vertical position or height in a gravitational field.

It can be calculated with the equation:

U=m.g.h

Where m is the mass of the object, h is the height with respect to a fixed reference, and g is the acceleration of gravity or
`9.8 m/s^2`.

The weight of an object of mass m is:

W = m.g

Thus, the GPE is:

U=W.h

Solving for h:

`\displaystyle h=(U)/(W)`

The weight of the owl is W=40 N and its GPE is U=800 J.

`\displaystyle h=(800)/(40)=20`

h = 20 m